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Responding to it all is more than I personally have the time and emotional energy for as I try to live from day to day. Many have much less time than I do to even begin to keep up with it all as they struggle with home, work, and making ends meet.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">__</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I received my usual news summary from <a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/">Information Clearing House</a> today. The quotes that come with each days news are by themselves worth the read.</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here are <a href="http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=iqnuv6bab&amp;v=001HZh_ryKk0qcu52iy6Syac8MZYBel63-QGWFbRpBOt4Yj9rRFbEGViGC_WucAdMVqpGAYZFWQvGyAkeq_LeRiougZ_irFYlTu3xbzS1qIABl_0WO8EfmROw%3D%3D">today's</a>:</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><em>"Governments constantly choose between telling lies and fighting wars, with the end result always being the same. One will always lead to the other." -<strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></em></span>&nbsp;</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><em>"The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home." - <strong>James Madison</strong></em></span>&nbsp;</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><em>"No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare. " -<strong> James Madison</strong></em></span>&nbsp;</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><em>"Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism." -<strong>George Washington</strong></em></span></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">But more to the point, among all the interesting and important articles that Tom Feeley sends out almost every day, <a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36364.htm">I found one today</a> by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Hersh">Seymour Hersh</a> that not only addresses the failure of American journalism, but also reveals, for thinking individuals, parallels between the problems of journalism and the problems found within our society in general.&nbsp;</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The article states that Hersh feels "the fundamental job of journalists . . . is to be an outsider."&nbsp;</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">Why? Because it is a sociological truth that we have difficulty in objectively criticizing those with whom we have developed favorable relationships with, whether one is a journalist, an editor, a blogger/journalist, a friend, or just an acquaintance within an identified social group (fellow church goers, Republicans, Democrats, or whatever).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">For journalism he suggests:</span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">I’ll tell you the solution, get rid of 90% of the editors that now exist and start promoting editors that you can’t control,” he says. I saw it in the New York Times,&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">I see people who get promoted are the ones on the desk who are more amenable to the publisher and what the senior editors want and the trouble makers don’t get promoted. Start promoting better people who look you in the eye and say ‘I don’t care what you say’."</span></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">Sound familiar? Go along to get along--don't make waves. I can tell you from personal experience what happens to those who go against the grain, and most people choose not to do so in order to further their own careers or their standing in a community. To do otherwise often brings suffering. People who question and say something that differs from the dominant group's conventional wisdom are labelled "trouble makers," "loose canons" and "extremists," and may lose their livelihoods. God help them if they are also whistle blowers.The views of supervisors and their minions are reinforced, the views of those who have alternative perspectives are shunned or otherwise punished. You end up with groups of people in power who echo each others opinions, who demonize those who question policy, who protect each other's positions, and who eventually loose a grip on the reality of what is actually occurring in the outside world because worthy criticism is disregarded. In the end, whether in Baker City or Washington D.C., we all suffer from powerful self interested groups protecting each other while they ignore important realities.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">In the article, Hersh, is from the beginning said to have "extreme ideas." He is certainly anything but an extremist, but when people call for remedies that might bring real change, they are often labelled extremists. When doctors try to heal a severely diseased patient, they often resort to uncomfortable remedies. Fortunately, Seymour Hersh has a proven track record and everyone should consider what he has to say.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">__</span></div><div><div id="main-article-info"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/media/media-blog/2013/sep/27/seymour-hersh-obama-nsa-american-media">Seymour Hersh on Obama, NSA and the 'pathetic' American media</a></span><br /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pulitzer Prize winner explains how to fix journalism, saying press should 'fire 90% of editors and promote ones you can't control'</span></i></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Seymour Hersh has got some extreme ideas on how to fix journalism – close down the news bureaus of NBC and ABC, sack 90% of editors in publishing and get back to the fundamental job of journalists which, he says, is to be an outsider. <br /> <br />It doesn't take much to fire up Hersh, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Hersh">the investigative journalist who has been the nemesis of US presidents since the 1960s</a> and who was once described by the Republican party as "the closest thing American journalism has to a terrorist". <br /> <br />He is angry about the timidity of journalists in America, their failure to challenge the White House and be an unpopular messenger of truth. <br /> <br />Don't even get him started on the New York Times which, he says, spends "so much more time carrying water for Obama than I ever thought they would" – or the death of Osama bin Laden. "Nothing's been done about that story, it's one big lie, not one word of it is true," he says of the dramatic US Navy Seals raid in 2011.<br /> <br />Hersh is writing a book about national security and has devoted a chapter to the bin Laden killing. He says a recent report put out by an "independent" Pakistani commission about life in the Abottabad compound in which Bin Laden was holed up would not stand up to scrutiny. "The Pakistanis put out a report, don't get me going on it. Let's put it this way, it was done with considerable American input. It's a bullshit report," he says hinting of revelations to come in his book.<br /> <br />The Obama administration lies systematically, he claims, yet none of the leviathans of American media, the TV networks or big print titles, challenge him.<br /> <br />"It's pathetic, they are more than obsequious, they are afraid to pick on this guy [Obama]," he declares in an interview with the Guardian.<br /> <br />"It used to be when you were in a situation when something very dramatic happened, the president and the minions around the president had control of the narrative, you would pretty much know they would do the best they could to tell the story straight. Now that doesn't happen any more. Now they take advantage of something like that and they work out how to re-elect the president. <br /> <br />He isn't even sure if the recent revelations about the depth and breadth of surveillance by the National Security Agency will have a lasting effect. <br /> <br /> Snowden changed the debate on surveillance <br /><br />He is certain that NSA whistleblower <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/edward-snowden">Edward Snowden</a> "changed the whole nature of the debate" about surveillance. Hersh says he and other journalists had written about surveillance, but Snowden was significant because he provided documentary evidence – although he is sceptical about whether the revelations will change the US government's policy. <br /> <br />"Duncan Campbell [the British investigative journalist who broke the Zircon cover-up story], James Bamford [US journalist] and Julian Assange and me and the New Yorker, we've all written the notion there's constant surveillance, but he [Snowden] produced a document and that changed the whole nature of the debate, it's real now" Hersh says.</span></i><br /><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />"Editors love documents. Chicken-shit editors who wouldn't touch stories like that, they love documents, so he changed the whole ball game," he adds, before qualifying his remarks. <br /> <br />"But I don't know if it's going to mean anything in the long [run] because the polls I see in America – the president can still say to voters 'al-Qaida, al-Qaida' and the public will vote two to one for this kind of surveillance, which is so idiotic," he says. <br /> <br />Holding court to a packed audience at City University in London's summer school on <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/media/investigative-journalism">investigative journalism</a>, 76-year-old Hersh is on full throttle, a whirlwind of amazing stories of how journalism used to be; how he exposed the My Lai massacre in Vietnam, how he got the Abu Ghraib pictures of American soldiers brutalising Iraqi prisoners, and what he thinks of Edward Snowden. <br /> <br /> Hope of redemption <br /><br />Despite his concern about the timidity of journalism he believes the trade still offers hope of redemption. <br /> <br />"I have this sort of heuristic view that journalism, we possibly offer hope because the world is clearly run by total nincompoops more than ever … Not that journalism is always wonderful, it's not, but at least we offer some way out, some integrity." <br /> <br />His story of how he uncovered the My Lai atrocity is one of old-fashioned shoe-leather journalism and doggedness. Back in 1969, he got a tip about a 26-year-old platoon leader, William Calley, who had been charged by the army with alleged mass murder.<br /> <br />Instead of picking up the phone to a press officer, he got into his car and started looking for him in the army camp of Fort Benning in Georgia, where he heard he had been detained. From door to door he searched the vast compound, sometimes blagging his way, marching up to the reception, slamming his fist on the table and shouting: "Sergeant, I want Calley out now." <br /> <br />Eventually his efforts paid off <a href="http://pierretristam.com/Bobst/library/wf-200.htm">with his first story appearing in the St Louis Post-Despatch</a>, which was then syndicated across America and eventually earned him the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/pulitzerprize">Pulitzer Prize</a>. "I did five stories. I charged $100 for the first, by the end the [New York] Times were paying $5,000." <br /> <br />He was hired by the New York Times to follow up the Watergate scandal and ended up hounding Nixon over Cambodia. Almost 30 years later, Hersh made global headlines all over again with his exposure of the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib. <br /> <br /> Put in the hours <br /><br />For students of journalism his message is put the miles and the hours in. He knew about Abu Ghraib five months before he could write about it, having been tipped off by a senior Iraqi army officer who risked his own life by coming out of Baghdad to Damascus to tell him how prisoners had been writing to their families asking them to come and kill them because they had been "despoiled". <br /> <br />"I went five months looking for a document, because without a document, there's nothing there, it doesn't go anywhere." <br /> <br />Hersh returns to US president <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a>. He has said before that the confidence of the US press to challenge the US government collapsed post 9/11, but he is adamant that Obama is worse than Bush. <br /> <br />"Do you think Obama's been judged by any rational standards? Has Guantanamo closed? Is a war over? Is anyone paying any attention to Iraq? Is he seriously talking about going into Syria? We are not doing so well in the 80 wars we are in right now, what the hell does he want to go into another one for. What's going on [with journalists]?" he asks.<br /> <br />He says investigative journalism in the US is being killed by the crisis of confidence, lack of resources and a misguided notion of what the job entails. <br /> <br />"Too much of it seems to me is looking for prizes. It's journalism looking for the Pulitzer Prize," he adds. "It's a packaged journalism, so you pick a target like – I don't mean to diminish because anyone who does it works hard – but are railway crossings safe and stuff like that, that's a serious issue but there are other issues too. <br /> <br />"Like killing people, how does [Obama] get away with the drone programme, why aren't we doing more? How does he justify it? What's the intelligence? Why don't we find out how good or bad this policy is? Why do <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/media/newspapers">newspapers</a> constantly cite the two or three groups that monitor drone killings. Why don't we do our own work? <br /> <br />"Our job is to find out ourselves, our job is not just to say – here's a debate' our job is to go beyond the debate and find out who's right and who's wrong about issues. That doesn't happen enough. It costs money, it costs time, it jeopardises, it raises risks. There are some people – the New York Times still has investigative journalists but they do much more of carrying water for the president than I ever thought they would … it's like you don't dare be an outsider any more." <br /> <br />He says in some ways President <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/george-bush">George Bush</a>'s administration was easier to write about. "The Bush era, I felt it was much easier to be critical than it is [of] Obama. Much more difficult in the Obama era," he said. <br /> <br />Asked what the solution is Hersh warms to his theme that most editors are pusillanimous and should be fired. <br /> <br />"I'll tell you the solution, get rid of 90% of the editors that now exist and start promoting editors that you can't control," he says. I saw it in the New York Times, I see people who get promoted are the ones on the desk who are more amenable to the publisher and what the senior editors want and the trouble makers don't get promoted. Start promoting better people who look you in the eye and say 'I don't care what you say'. <br /> <br />Nor does he understand why the Washington Post held back on the Snowden files until it learned the Guardian was about to publish. <br /> <br />If Hersh was in charge of US Media Inc, his scorched earth policy wouldn't stop with newspapers. <br /> <br />"I would close down the news bureaus of the networks and let's start all over, tabula rasa. The majors, NBCs, ABCs, they won't like this – just do something different, do something that gets people mad at you, that's what we're supposed to be doing," he says. <br /> <br />Hersh is currently on a break from reporting, working on a book which undoubtedly will make for uncomfortable reading for both Bush and Obama. <br /> <br />"The republic's in trouble, we lie about everything, lying has become the staple." And he implores journalists to do something about it.</span></i><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">_</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://youtu.be/pCTYxIsLThA">Jackson Browne--Doctor My Eyes</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/pCTYxIsLThA" width="420"></iframe><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">__</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://youtu.be/sHAP3CwDYTY">Jackson Browne Doctor My Eyes</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sHAP3CwDYTY" width="420"></iframe></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">__</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://youtu.be/oJYRtOPUonA">Jackson Browne 1977 Running on Empty</a></span></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/oJYRtOPUonA" width="420"></iframe></div><div>__<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://youtu.be/AiHBCruacA4">Jackson Browne - Stay - Live </a></span><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/AiHBCruacA4" width="420"></iframe><br />_____</div></div>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/renowned-journalist-seymour-hersh-slams.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-3330199017956630363Sat, 14 Sep 2013 05:10:00 +00002013-09-19T18:22:33.363-07:00AIPACChemical weaponshypocrisyIsraelIsrael LobbyJohn KerryMiddle EastNational interestPalestinianspropagandaReligionsectarianismslaverySyriaUS Foreign PolicyVladimir PutinWarZionistsWeekend Reading--Recent Voices Against an Attack on Syria[Updated 9/14/13]<br />It is unfortunate that at a time when our infrastructure is crumbling, and when the House Republican leadership is pushing a bill that would slash funding for food stamps even further than the looming cuts due to the end of stimulus money, and which would kick severely impoverished childless singles under 50 off of the program, that the nation is instead focused on whether our nation should plunge once again into an expensive unpopular war that is not in our national interest. Here are a few recent articles by some unheralded voices inside and outside of the mainstream media who oppose such a war and the ramped up arming of the rebels.<br /><br />[Update Sat. 9/14/13] This morning, the US State Department released <a href="http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2013/09/214247.htm">the outlines of an agreement</a> with Russia concerning the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons. The introduction contains the following:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The United States and the Russian Federation concur that this UN Security Council resolution should provide for review on a regular basis the&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">implementation in Syria of the decision of the Executive Council of the OPCW, and in the event of non-compliance, including unauthorized transfer,&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">or any use of chemical weapons by anyone in Syria, the UN Security Council should impose measures under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.</span></blockquote>The inclusion of the words "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">non-compliance, including unauthorized transfer,&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">or any use of chemical weapons by anyone in Syria" will surely leave room for much mischief by the US, Israel, Al Qaeda, and the other enemies of Syria. After all, it almost begs the rebels to use their chemical weapons once again in order to provide the pretext for an attack by the US and it's anti-Syrian allies. Hopefully, any measures under Chapter VII will have to be taken before the UN Security Council for approval, but lack of UN approval may not keep the US, NATO, or others from acting unilaterally and illegally.&nbsp;</span>Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said today on <a href="http://rt.com/news/lavrov-syria-kerry-chemical-861/">RT</a> that:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">. . . the agreement did not include any potential use of force against Syria. He however said that deviations from the plan, including attacks on UN inspectors, would be brought to the UN Security Council, which would decide on further action.&nbsp;</blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">In the <a href="http://on.rt.com/smhwkn">RT video</a>, it was stated that Kerry, for the first time publicly, agreed with Russia that the rebels had used chemical weapons in Syria.</span><br /><br />Remembering that Israel has often said that the peace overtures and other conciliatory efforts of its enemies are "not doing enough," and that the US repeatedly said similar to Saddam Hussein before the unjustified invasion of Iraq, John Kerry's recent tough guy talk, i.e.,&nbsp;"The words of the Syrian regime in our judgment are simply not enough,"may be an ominous sign of things to come.<br /><br />This first article points out the usual howling hypocrisy of the US when it comes to chemical weapons and other "weapons of mass destruction."<br />_____<br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/09/obama-rogue-state-tramples-every-law"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Obama's Rogue State Tramples Over Every Law It Demands Others Uphold</span></a><br /> </b></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br /> For 67 years the US has pursued its own interests at the expense of global justice – no wonder people are sceptical now<br /> <br /> <b>By George Monbiot </b><br /> <br /> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">September 10, 2013 </span><span style="font-size: medium;">"</span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/09/obama-rogue-state-tramples-every-law" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Guardian</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;">" -</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> You could almost pity these people. For 67 years successive US governments have resisted calls to reform the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council" title=""> UN security council</a>. They've defended a system which grants five nations a veto over world affairs, reducing all others to impotent spectators. They have abused the powers and trust with which they have been vested. They have collaborated with the other four permanent members (the UK, Russia, China and France) in a colonial carve-up, through which these nations can pursue their own corrupt interests at the expense of peace and global justice.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> Eighty-three times the US has exercised its veto. On 42 of these occasions it has done so to prevent Israel's treatment of the Palestinians being censured. On the last occasion, 130 nations supported the resolution but Barack Obama spiked it. Though veto powers have been used less often since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the US has exercised them 14 times in the interim (in 13 cases to shield Israel), while Russia has used them nine times. Increasingly the permanent members have used the threat of a veto to prevent a resolution being discussed. They have bullied the rest of the world into silence.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Through this tyrannical dispensation – created at a time when other nations were either broken or voiceless – the great warmongers of the past 60 years remain responsible for global peace. The&nbsp;biggest weapons traders are tasked with global disarmament. Those who trample international law control the administration of justice.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">But now, as the veto powers of two permanent members (Russia and China) obstruct its attempt to pour petrol on <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/syria" title="">another Middle Eastern fire</a>, the US suddenly decides that the system is illegitimate. Obama says: "If we end up using the UN security council not as a means of enforcing international norms and international law, but rather as a barrier … then I think people rightly are going to be pretty skeptical about the system." Well, yes.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Never have Obama or his predecessors attempted a serious reform of this system. Never have they sought to replace a corrupt global oligarchy with a democratic body. Never do they lament this injustice – until they object to the outcome. The same goes for every aspect of global governance.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Obama warned last week that Syria's use of poisoned gas "<a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/09/06/remarks-president-obama-press-conference-g20" title="">threatens to unravel the international norm against chemical weapons embraced by 189 nations</a>". Unravelling the international norm is the US president's job.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <a href="http:/" title=""><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1997 the US agreed to decommission</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"> the 31,000 tonnes of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarin" title="">sarin</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VX_%28nerve_agent%2529" title=""> VX</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur_mustard" title=""> mustard gas</a> and other agents&nbsp;it possessed within 10 years. In 2007 it requested the maximum extension of the deadline permitted by&nbsp;the Chemical Weapons Convention – five years. Again it failed to keep its promise, and in 2012 it claimed they would be gone by 2021. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/09/russia-syria-hand-over-chemical-weapons" title=""> Russia yesterday urged Syria to place its chemical weapons under international control</a>. Perhaps it should press the US to do the same.</span></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">In 1998 the Clinton administration pushed a law through Congress which forbade international weapons inspectors from taking samples of chemicals in the US and allowed the president to refuse unannounced inspections. In 2002 the Bush government <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Maur%C3%ADcio_Bustani" title=""> forced the sacking</a> of José Maurício Bustani, the director general of the <a href="http://www.opcw.org/" title="">Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons</a>. He had committed two unforgiveable crimes: seeking a rigorous inspection of US facilities; and pressing Saddam Hussein to sign the Chemical Weapons Convention, to help prevent the war George Bush was itching to wage.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">[For rest of this most interesting article see <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/09/obama-rogue-state-tramples-every-law">The Guardian</a>.]</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">See Also:&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Report-CIA-believes-Israel-acquired-chemical-weapons-decades-ago-325706"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Report: CIA believes Israel acquired chemical weapons decades ago</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 36px;"> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span></div>__<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://dissidentvoice.org/2013/09/no-more-war-for-israel/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">No More War for Israel?</span></a></span><br /><br /><div class="subhead">The People Against the 800 Pound Gorilla</div><div class="subhead"><br /></div><div class="byline">by Jean Bricmont and Diana Johnstone / September 13th, 2013</div><div class="byline"><br /></div><div class="entry">The past ten days have seen what could be the start of an historic turning point away from endless war in the Middle East. Public opinion in the United States, in harmony with the majority of people in the world, has clearly rejected U.S. military intervention in Syria.<br /><br />But for this turn away from war to be complete and lasting, greater awareness is needed of the forces that have been pushing the United States into these wars, and will surely continue to do so until they are clearly and openly rejected. <br /><br />An American friend who knows Washington well recently told us that “everybody” there knows that, as far as the drive to war with Syria is concerned, it is Israel that directs U.S. policy. Why then, we replied, don’t opponents of war say it out loud, since, if the American public knew that, support for the war would collapse? Of course, we knew the answer to that question. They are afraid to say all they know, because if you blame the pro-Israel lobby, you are <a href="http://dissidentvoice.org/2013/08/independent-news-as-vehicle-for-character-assassination/">branded an anti-Semite in the media</a> and your career is destroyed.<br /><br />One who had that experience is James Abourezk, former Senator from South Dakota, who has <a href="http://www.uruknet.de/?p=m28769">testified</a>: “I can tell you from personal experience that, at least in the Congress, the support Israel has in that body is based completely on political fear – fear of defeat by anyone who does not do what Israel wants done. I can also tell you that very few members of Congress–at least when I served there – have any affection for Israel or for its lobby. What they have is contempt, but it is silenced by fear of being found out exactly how they feel. I’ve heard too many cloakroom conversations in which members of the Senate will voice their bitter feelings about how they’re pushed around by the lobby to think otherwise. In private one hears the dislike of Israel and the tactics of the lobby, but not one of them is willing to risk the lobby’s animosity by making their feelings public.” Abourezk added&nbsp;: “The only exceptions to that rule are the feelings of Jewish members, who, I believe, are sincere in their efforts to keep U.S. money flowing to Israel. But that minority does not a U.S. imperial policy make.”<br /><br />Since we do not have to run for Congress, we feel free to take a close look at that highly delicate question. First, we’ll review the evidence for the crucial role of the pro-Israel lobby, then we’ll discuss some objections.<br /><br />For evidence, it should be enough to quote some recent headlines from the American and Israeli press.<br />First, according to the <em><a href="http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-intelligence-seen-as-central-to-us-case-against-syria/">Times of Israel</a></em> (not exactly an anti-Zionist rag): “Israel intelligence seen as central to U.S. case against Syria.”2 (Perhaps the fact that it is “central” also explains why it is so dubious.<sup><a class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" href="http://dissidentvoice.org/2013/09/no-more-war-for-israel/#footnote_0_50706" id="identifier_0_50706" title="For a discussion of the “evidence,” see, for example, Gareth Porter: How Intelligence Was to Support an Attack on Syria.">1</a></sup> ) <br /><br />Then, in <em><a href="ttp://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.545661">Haaretz</a></em>: “AIPAC to deploy hundreds of lobbyists to push for Syria action”. Or, in <em><a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/09/06/jewish-lobby-seeks-to-turn-tide-on-syria-debate-in-congress">U.S. News and World Report</a></em>: “Pro-Israel lobby Seeks to Turn Tide on Syria Debate in Congress”. According to <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-04/adelson-new-obama-ally-as-jewish-groups-back-syria-strike.html"><em>Bloomberg</em></a>: “Adelson New Obama Ally as Jewish Groups Back Syria Strike”. The worst enemies of Obama become his allies, provided he does what “Jewish groups” want. Even rabbis enter the dance: according to the <em><a href="http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-rabbis-urge-congress-to-back-obama-on-syria/">Times of Israel</a></em>, “U.S. rabbis urge Congress to back Obama on Syria”.<br /><br />The <em>New York Times</em> explained some of the logic behind the pressure: “Administration officials said the influential pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC was already at work pressing for military action against the government of Mr. Assad, fearing that if Syria escapes American retribution for its use of chemical weapons, Iran might be emboldened in the future to attack Israel. … One administration official, who, like others, declined to be identified discussing White House strategy, called AIPAC ‘the 800-pound gorilla in the room,’ and said its allies in Congress had to be saying, ‘If the White House is not capable of enforcing this red line’ against the catastrophic use of chemical weapons, ‘we’re in trouble’.”<br />Even more interesting, this <a href="http://mjayrosenberg.com/2013/09/03/new-york-times-deletes-this-paragraph-in-which-white-house-says-aipac-is-key-to-war/">part of the story</a> was deleted by the <em>New York Times</em>, according to M.J. Rosenberg, which is consistent with the fact that the lobby prefers to act discreetly.<br /><br />Now, to the objections:<br />[The rest of the article is <a href="http://dissidentvoice.org/2013/09/no-more-war-for-israel/">here</a>.]<br />__<br /><br /><div style="font: 24.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/opinion/putin-plea-for-caution-from-russia-on-syria.html?pagewanted=print&amp;_r=0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A Plea for Caution From Russia</span></a></b></div><div style="font: 10.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/opinion/putin-plea-for-caution-from-russia-on-syria.html?pagewanted=print&amp;_r=0">By VLADIMIR V. PUTIN</a></b></div><div style="font: 10.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">MOSCOW — RECENT events surrounding Syria have prompted me to speak directly to the&nbsp;American people and their political leaders. It is important to do so at a time of insufficient&nbsp;communication between our societies.<br /><br />Relations between us have passed through different stages. We stood against each other&nbsp;during the cold war. But we were also allies once, and defeated the Nazis together. The&nbsp;universal international organization — the United Nations — was then established to&nbsp;prevent such devastation from ever happening again.<br /><br />The United Nations’ founders understood that decisions affecting war and peace should&nbsp;happen only by consensus, and with America’s consent the veto by Security Council&nbsp;permanent members was enshrined in the United Nations Charter. The profound wisdom of&nbsp;this has underpinned the stability of international relations for decades. . . . .<br /><br />From the outset, Russia has advocated peaceful dialogue enabling Syrians to develop a compromise plan for their own future. We are not protecting the Syrian government, but international law.<br /><br />We need to use the United Nations Security Council and believe that preserving law and order in today’s complex and turbulent world is one of the few ways to keep international relations from sliding into chaos. The law is still the law, and we must follow it whether we like it or not. Under current international law, force is permitted only in self-defense or by the decision of the Security Council. Anything else is unacceptable under the United Nations Charter and would constitute an act of aggression.</span><br /><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">. . . .</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The whole letter is <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/opinion/putin-plea-for-caution-from-russia-on-syria.html?pagewanted=print&amp;_r=0">here</a>.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b></b></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b>__</b></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-weight: bold;"><b><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36217.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">America's Ridiculous Position on Syria</span></a><br /> </b></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium; font-weight: bold;"><br /> <b>By John Chuckman <br /> </b><br /> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">September 13, 2013 "<a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/" style="text-decoration: none;">Information Clearing House</a> -&nbsp; </span> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">I read that an American Senator, Bob Menendez, wanted “to vomit” when he was supplied with a copy of Vladimir Putin’s New York Times’ op-ed piece about Syria.<br /> <br /> Well, I’m sure it wasn’t just a matter of Sen. Menendez’s delicate stomach: there have been many times in the past I wanted to vomit over something in The New York Times.<br /> <br /> It is, after all, an impossibly pretentious, often-dishonest publication faithfully serving America’s military-industrial-intelligence complex, one which never fails to support America’s countless wars, insurgencies, dirty tricks, and coups – all this while publicly flattering itself as a rigorous source of journalism and even a newspaper “of record.” Many regard The Times as simply the most worn-out key of that thunderous public-relations instrument an ex-Agency official once called his “mighty Wurlitzer.” Only in the antediluvian political atmosphere of America could The Times manage to have something of a reputation for being “liberal.”<br /> <br /> Mr. Menendez, as head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, holds a powerful position, one he has used in lockstep with President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry to promote illegal war. Like them he blubbers about rights and democracy and ethics while planning death and destruction to people who have done nothing against the United States except disagreeing with it and being hated by that greatest single outside determinant of American foreign policy, Israel.<br /> <br /> Sen. Menendez’s personal anecdote actually provides a perfect miniature replica of the entire operation of America’s foreign affairs. American officials never fail to invoke words about democracy or human rights when addressing their next piece of dirty work or effort to pressure another people into doing what America wants.<br /> <br /> So naturally the Senator might be a bit upset over Putin’s upstaging the top officials of the United States and proving himself the superior statesman and rational politician in every detail.<br /> <br /> First, every honest, well-read person, not trying to promote American special interests, knows there is no proof that Assad used chemical weapons. Absolutely none. Even as I write, an Australian newspaper, The Sydney Morning Herald, reports that the UN inspection team could find no evidence of chemical weapons used in the place cited by Syria’s rebel army.<br /> <br /> A video which made the rounds among American allies and which purported to show the attack has been declared a fake by the UN. Russia’s secret services also declared it a fake.<br /> <br /> The only other bit of “evidence” worth mentioning is a supposed recording of Syrian officials provided to American officials by Mossad. Yes, that’s Mossad, the very people who pride themselves on deception and who have a long track record of expertly using it, even in several cases successfully against the United States.<br /> <br /> You do not kill thousands of people and destroy a country’s infrastructure citing rubbish like that.<br /> <br /> Again, as I write this, a former British Ambassador, Craig John Murray, states that the United States has been deceived by Mossad with its purported recording and that Britain’s super-sensitive listening post in Cyprus, vastly superior to Israel’s listening assets, had picked up no such information.<br /> <br /> Germany, based on its secret service operations, also has publicly stated that Assad did not use chemical weapons.<br /> <br /> And, of course, after all America’s huffing and blowing and threatening in recent months, Assad and his senior associates would have to have been genuinely mad to use them, but there is no sign of madness. Assad remains a calm and thoughtful person whose voice is largely silenced in the West by his having been declared arbitrarily not an acceptable head of state.<br /> <br /> Second, there is significant proof that ugly elements of the rebellion – the substantial al Qaeda-like components who hate Assad for his tolerance towards all religions in Syria – did indeed use limited amounts on more than one occasion, hoping, undoubtedly to create a provocation for American entry. The UN has said so and so have other agencies.<br /> <br /> We have incidents, reported reliably, of rebel elements receiving small canisters of chemical weapons, likely from Saudi agents working on behalf of American policy. We also have an incident of a canister caught by authorities moving across the Turkish border in the hands of rebel fighters, the Turkish border having been used extensively since the beginning of the rebellion as a way to inject weapons and lunatic fighters into Syria and as a refuge for rebels when corned by Syria’s army. Even the American military confirms this last event.<br /> <br /> Third, we absolutely know that Israel has a stockpile of this horrible stuff, Sarin, but not a word is said about it. This stockpile has been confirmed by CIA sources recently. Even before CIA sources, we knew of Israel’s chemical weapons from the 1992 crash of an El Al cargo plane in Amsterdam, a plane whose illegal cargo proved to be precursor chemicals for such weapons.<br /> <br /> Now, if you were regarded as an enemy by Israel, the most ruthless country in the Mideast when simply measured by the number of times it has attacked its neighbors, wouldn’t you want weapons to counteract theirs? And, of course, to counteract not just Israel’s chemical weapons but secret nuclear ones? So it is hardly a terrible thing for Assad’s military to posses them.<br /> <br /> Perhaps most importantly, the United States is in no position to draw lines or make public judgments about the behavior of anyone with regard to such weapons.<br /> <br /> It stands as likely the greatest user of various chemical weapons over the last four or five decades. Napalm and Agent Orange were used on a colossal scale in Vietnam, a true holocaust in which the United States killed about three million people. The residue from millions of pounds of Agent Orange still causes horribly mangled babies to be born in Vietnam, and the United States has never lifted a finger to clean the mess or treat its victims.<br /> <br /> In the terrible Iran-Iraq War of 1980-88, the United States supplied Iraq – the clear aggressor in the war – with the materials for chemical weapons which eventually killed many thousands of Iranian soldiers.<br /> <br /> In the illegal invasion of Iraq – where the United States killed upwards of half a million people and created millions of refugees – it employed white phosphorus (a good substitute for napalm), flame-throwers, depleted-uranium (cancer-inducing) ammunition, and hideous child-crippling cluster bombs. The children of Iraq today suffer a plague of cancer caused by breathing tons of vaporized depleted-uranium the United States dumped there.<br /> <br /> In the unnecessary invasion of Afghanistan, the United States used massive carpet bombing to support the thugs of the Northern Alliance, who happened to be old enemies of the Taleban, though often being equally horrible in behavior. This was one of the first instances of the strategy America employed in Libya and wants to employ in Syria: local rebels on the ground, supplied with money and intelligence and weapons, are supported by high-tech hell from the air, yielding the needed results with minimum American casualties.<br /> <br /> Thousands of Taleban prisoners of war were “disappeared’ by members of the Northern Alliance by sealing them in trucks, driving them out to the desert to suffocate, and then dumping their bodies in mass graves – all this while American soldiers looked on and picked their noses.<br /> <br /> Nothing which has happened in recent years so horrifyingly recalls the work of Hitler’s Einsatzkommandos using mobile killing-trucks before the death camps were built, yet there can be no question that senior American commanders and the White House were aware of these events.<br /> <br /> And of course, the only nation on earth ever to actually use atomic weapons – twice, and both times on civilian, non-military targets – is the United States, a country which also seriously planned to use them in Cold War pre-emptive strikes against Russia and China and later in Vietnam.<br /> <br /> The voice of the United States today is shrill with hypocrisy and dishonesty and self-interest when it is heard condemning Syria, or anyone else, for using unacceptable weapons. Where was that voice when its ally, Israel, committed atrocities, as it did in Lebanon and in Gaza and on the high seas against unarmed humanitarians or when it steals the land of defenceless occupied people? Indeed, the white phosphorus and cluster bombs Israel used in some of Israel’s attacks were supplied by the United States, as were the planes and artillery used to deliver them.<br /> <br /> And this brings us to the real cause of the rebellion in Syria. Israel would like Assad gone and Syria reduced to a broken state the way Iraq was reduced. It does not want to do this directly because Syria is a serious military opponent and not easy prey, and Israel’s doing so would arouse new waves of anger in the Mideast and new difficulties for the United States.<br /> <br /> So the United States has had a long-term program of creating a kind of cordon sanitaire around Israel, breaking all of its potential opponents for many hundreds of miles around, but doing so always under contrived circumstances of supporting peoples’ revolts or removing dictators. It surreptitiously supplies large amounts of money and useful intelligence to the genuinely disaffected peoples of various states, encouraging them to revolt, indicating air and other support once things are underway. This is reminiscent of the dirty work of Henry Kissinger carried out with Iraq’s Kurdish population in 1975, promising them anything if they revolted but failing to deliver and leaving them to face a massive slaughter by Saddam Hussein’s troops.<br /> <br /> Today’s is a complex black operation using a bizarre collection of intermediaries and helpers. Events in Benghazi, Libya, never explained in the United States, were certainly one little corner of this with the CIA operating there to collect weapons and jihadist types for secret entry into Syria through Turkey.<br /> <br /> Saudi Arabia too plays a large role, surprising as that may seem to some given that Israel is a major beneficiary. Saudi Arabia’s ruling family plays the anti-Israel card just enough to keep its own fundamentalist Wahhabi population from revolting. But in truth, the wealthy Saudi elites have always had more in common with American and Israeli elites than with popular leaders in the Mideast.<br /> <br /> Those Saudi elites were rendered extremely vulnerable to American pressures during 9/11. George Bush, always a good friend and beneficiary of Saudi largess, secretly rounded up a number of them who were in the United States (at places like Las Vegas casinos) and shipped them back to Saudi Arabia for their safety. As it proved, the greatest number of perpetrators of 9/11 were Saudi extremists, and it was discovered, though not publicly announced, that bin Laden’s movement regularly received bribes from the royal family to keep his operations out of Saudi Arabia. Thus the royal family financed bin Laden. All this made the Saudis extremely nervous and willing to be of more conspicuous future assistance in the Mideast.<br /> <br /> And so they are, supplying money and weapons through various routes to the rebels. There is also a report of the Saudis releasing more than twelve hundred violent prisoners from death row in return for their training and going to Syria to fight as jihadist volunteers.<br /> <br /> American officials know all these things while they stand and blubber about democratic rebels and “red lines” and other fairy stories. They want to bomb Syria because the recent success of Assad’s army has begun to endanger the huge effort to have him overthrown. Just as their planes and missiles tipped the scales in Libya with a phony zero-fly zone, they want to repeat that success in Syria.<br /> <br /> Now, Putin appears to have upset the plan with admirable statesmanship, and Sen. Menendez will just have to console himself with Pepto-Bismol.<br /> <br /> But then the Russians have always been great chess players.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">__</span></span></b></div><div style="font: 12.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></div><div id="BlogTitle" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="http://original.antiwar.com/giraldi/2013/09/11/defeating-aipac-starts-with-syria/print/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Defeating AIPAC Starts with Syria</span></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br /><div id="BlogDate">Posted By Philip Giraldi <br />On September 11, 2013<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>In the second century B.C., Cato the Elder, a Roman Senator, would end every speech he made with the admonition "Delenda Est Carthago," meaning that the city of Carthage, Rome’s perennial rival, must be destroyed. Among other claims, the Romans accused the Carthaginians of engaging in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/01/science/relics-of-carthage-show-brutality-amid-the-good-life.html?pagewanted=all&amp;src=pm">human sacrifice</a> to their god Ba’al Hammon, something that one might describe as the "red line" of that era as Greco-Roman culture abhorred the practice and condemned those who engaged in it. Even though Rome dominated the Mediterranean and Carthage was in decline, Cato believed that one day the ancient resentments would again rise to the surface and a resurgent Carthage would discover a new Hannibal and take revenge. In other words, the survival of Carthage was seen as a threat to the continued existence of the Roman Republic. Cato’s argument was convincing enough to many Romans that it resulted in the Third Punic War in which Carthage was indeed destroyed.</i></span></div><div id="BlogContent"><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><br /></i></div><i></i><br /><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>I mention Rome and Carthage to illustrate the fact that there is nothing new under the sun when it comes to making compelling arguments about what today might be termed national security. There is in today’s world no Carthage to serve as a counterpoint to America’s new Rome, but in a nation where corruption enabled by the art of lobbying has become so refined that interest groups are able to dominate the political discourse the real enemy is internal. It is plausible to argue that the nation’s legislature is only marginally answerable to the citizens that have elected it. This has nowhere been more evident than in the still ongoing debate over America going to war against Syria, which the White House intends to initiate to establish its "credibility" in spite of the clear evidence that Damascus poses no actual threat to the United States or its interests. Even if one considers a government killing its own citizens as humanitarian grounds for outside military intervention, which I do not, the White House has failed to produce any compelling evidence that the Syrian government actually used chemical weapons against its own people. Ordinary American citizens have responded to the mess of pottage they have been served by writing and calling their congressmen and, overwhelmingly, saying "no." Even normally bellicose evangelical Christians are surprisingly nearly two to one <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2013/september/syria-military-intervention-nae-evangelicals-survey.html?utm_source=ctweekly-html&amp;utm_medium=Newsletter&amp;utm_term=7432639&amp;utm_content=206306122&amp;utm_campaign=2013">opposed</a>. But still congress dithers. </i></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><br /></i></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has weighed into the debate big time, <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/aipac-syria-96344.html#ixzz2e4CfESMh">unleashing</a> hundreds of its activists on Capitol Hill, buttonholing congressmen and staffers alike. This is <a href="http://mjayrosenberg.com/2013/09/04/exclusive-house-staffer-tells-me-what-aipac-is-doing/">how it works</a> according to a congressional staffer: "First come the phone calls from constituents who are AIPAC members. They know the Congressman and are nice and friendly and just tell him, or whichever staffer the constituent knows, just how important this vote is to him and his friends back in the district. Then the donors call. The folks who have hosted fundraisers. They are usually not only from the district but from New York or LA or Chicago. They repeat the message: this vote is very important. Contrary to what you might expect, they do not mention campaign money. They don’t have to. Because these callers are people who only know the Congressman through their checks, the threat not to write any more of them is implicit. Like the constituents, the donors are using AIPAC talking points which are simple and forceful. You can argue with them but they keep going back to the script… Then there are the AIPAC lobbyists, the professional staffers. They come in, with or without appointments. If the Congressman is in, they expect to see him immediately. If not, they will see a staffer. If they don’t like what they hear, they will keep coming back. They are very aggressive, no other lobby comes close. They expect to see the Member, not mere staff. Then there are the emails driven by the AIPAC website…and then the ‘Dear Colleague’ letters from Jewish House members saying how important the vote is for Israel and America. They also will buttonhole the Members on the House floor… And, truth be told, all the senior Jewish Members of the House are tight with AIPAC. Also, the two biggest AIPAC enforcers, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and his Democratic counterpart, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, are fierce AIPAC partisans, and they make sure to seek out Members on the floor to tell them how they must vote. On anything related to Israel, they speak in one voice: AIPAC’s. Obviously, there is no counterpart to this on the antiwar side. No anti-AIPAC to speak of. AIPAC owns this issue. It gets what it wants." </i></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><br /></i></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>AIPAC carefully avoided naming Israel in its statement of support for Obama even though it prides itself on being America’s pro-Israel lobby, presumably because it wishes to avoid Syria being labeled as Israel’s war if the bombing turns out badly. Which it will. AIPAC cares nothing for the fate of Syrian civilians but it does fear that failing to attack Damascus could possibly strengthen noninterventionist sentiment when it comes time to confront Iran, which it regards as Israel’s principal enemy. Its statement <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/aipac-syria-congress-96220.html">asserts</a> "America’s allies and adversaries are closely watching the outcome of this momentous vote. This critical decision comes at a time when Iran is racing toward obtaining nuclear capability. Failure to approve this resolution would weaken our country’s credibility to prevent the use and proliferation of unconventional weapons and thereby greatly endanger our country’s security and interests and those of our regional allies." The White House, for its part, is increasingly playing the Israel card to gain support, with the Israeli media even <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/10/world/middleeast/lobbying-group-for-israel-to-press-congress-on-syria.html">reporting</a> that Obama has asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to intervene directly in lobbying American Jews to support an attack.</i></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><br /></i></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i>So AIPAC and the other components of the Israel Lobby, which are marching in lock step on this issue, are basically advocating a series of wars in which the United States will do the fighting and dying to make the world safe for Israel. &nbsp;. . . .</i><br /><i><br /></i><i>[For Rest of article go <a href="http://original.antiwar.com/giraldi/2013/09/11/defeating-aipac-starts-with-syria/print/">here</a>&nbsp;]</i></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">__</div><br /><div style="font-size: medium; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">On the Wings of Empire Comes Only Grief</span></i></b></div><div style="font-size: medium; font: normal normal normal 27px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/09/03/letter-to-a-syrian-friend/print">Letter to a Syrian Friend</a></span></i></b></div><div style="font-size: medium; font: normal normal normal 9px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">by VIJAY PRASHAD</span></i></b></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">__</div><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36205.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">U.S. Military Confirms Rebels Had Sarin </span></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Classified document shows deadly weapon found in home of arrested Islamists <br /><br />By F. Michael Maloof <br /><br />September 12, 2013 "Information Clearing House - "WND" - As part of the Obama administration’s repeated insistence – though without offering proof – that the recent sarin gas attack near Damascus was the work of the Assad regime, the administration has downplayed or denied the possibility that al-Qaidalinked Syrian rebels could produce deadly chemical weapons. <br /><br />However, in a classified document just obtained by WND, the U.S. military confirms that sarin was confiscated earlier this year from members of the Jabhat al-Nusra Front, the most influential of the rebel Islamists fighting in Syria. <br /><br />The document says sarin from al-Qaida in Iraq made its way into Turkey and that while some was seized, more could have been used in an attack last March on civilians and Syrian military soldiers in Aleppo.</span></div><div id="BlogContent"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Rest of article is <a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36205.htm">here</a>.</span></div><div id="BlogContent"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">_____</span></div></div>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/weekend-reading-recent-voices-against.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-8183961996141660461Tue, 10 Sep 2013 05:26:00 +00002013-09-10T20:03:34.709-07:00accountabilityBaker City CouncilCryptosporidiumCryptosporidium outbreakDrinking WaterNegligenceresponsibilityCity reports CDC results from fecal samples--What does it mean?<b>Today, the city website reported:</b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><a class="contentpagetitle" href="http://www.bakercity.com/latest-news/4-city-of-baker-city/329-information-received-from-the-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-cdc">Information received from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)</a></span><br /><div class="content-padding"><div class="with-sidebar grid_9" id="main-content"><div class="blog frontpage-page-layout"><div class="article leading front-page-leading"><div class="article-title-wrap"><div class="clear"></div></div><div class="article-info"><div class="article-info-text"><span class="article-date-posted"> Monday, September 09, 2013</span></div><div class="article-icons"><ul class="addthis-icons addthis_toolbox"> <div class="atclear"></div></ul><div id="_atssh" style="height: 1px; position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 1px; z-index: 100000;"><iframe id="_atssh538" src="http://ct1.addthis.com/static/r07/sh136.html#" style="border: 0px none; height: 1px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 1px; z-index: 100000;" title="AddThis utility frame"></iframe></div><div class="clear"></div></div><div class="clear"></div></div><div class="article-content"><i>Today the City of Baker City received the following information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).</i><br /><ul><li><i>81 goats tested; 1 positive for C. ubiquitum (making it unlikely source)</i></li><li><i>64 elk tested; 1 positive with species still unknown, but negative by C. parvum and C. hominis–specific PCR</i></li><li><i>10 human specimens tested; 9 positive; 7 are C. parvum IIaA15G2R1; most recent 2 resequencing</i></li><li><i>4 cattle tested (5 listed on packing sheet, but only 4 in box); all negative</i></li><li><i>4 water samples tested; all negative</i></li><li><i>1 positive EPA method 1623 slide (4 oocysts present) tested; could not detect Crypto DNA</i></li></ul>This is complicated so you might want to read it more than once.</div><div class="article-content"><br /><b>Day Late and a few Cow Pies Short</b><br /><b><br /></b></div><div class="article-content">I said in <a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/some-cryptic-aspects-of-crypto-outbreak_26.html">an earlier blog</a> that they might not get positive results because of the haphazard late sampling (after we found the cow pies on the trip of the 19th) and not asking Dennis Dorrah and I to go along to show them where all the cow pies were. I had already notified Dr. De bess of our findings.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s9lcrFzKZJE/Ui6sxj5A-QI/AAAAAAAAB9U/QNzOgUxLIwg/s1600/Councilors+and+Watershed+Personnell+lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s9lcrFzKZJE/Ui6sxj5A-QI/AAAAAAAAB9U/QNzOgUxLIwg/s400/Councilors+and+Watershed+Personnell+lg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="article-content"><br /></div><div class="article-content">The cattle tests were taken on samples that were from some cow pies that had been there for an unknown length of time, and it is not known if they are from calves that have been in the watershed. It is the calves that usually test positive for C. parvum. Calves also shed more crypto when they are younger, like July in this case.&nbsp;</div><div class="article-content"><br /></div><div class="article-content">They apparently only tested four or fewer cow pies and there is no way to know whether the cow pies they tested were from the calves. They tested 64 elk scat samples.&nbsp;</div><div class="article-content"><br /></div><div class="article-content">They probably did not test all the fecal material that Dennis and I found. They should have tested the calves that are in the herd and were in the area (Dennis Dorrah, Clair Button, and I, saw them at least twice and they were nearby when they tested) for C. parvum, but I am quite sure they didn't, and I doubt if they will. It is in the state's and the city's interest not to find a culprit in this case due to liability issues. That is what happened in the Milwaukee outbreak--no definitive cause found.&nbsp;</div><div class="article-content"><br /></div><div class="article-content">Also, Dr. De Bess told me that the staining of the crypto oocysts found in the 913 oocyst water sample might make it impossible to genotype the oocysts, i.e., determine whether they were C. parvum. That was a huge mistake. I think that means they didn't split the sample so that they could test (genotype) any unstained material from the sample to find out whether it is C. parvum, and the staining, as Dr. DeBess suggested to me that it might, destroyed the possibility of matching the 913 water sample oocysts to the C. parvum oocysts found in diseased patients. Not finding C. Parvum in the cow pies is also problematic, in terms of &nbsp;establishing the responsibility of cattle, but they didn't and probably won't test the calves. All the research, plus the results showing it isn't in the elk, suggests that it may have come from cows. <br /><br /><div><div><div><div>Here are seven important points to consider (there are no doubt others):<br /><br /></div>- Four cow fecal material samples (compared to 64 elk samples) does not prove that cows weren't responsible.<br /><br /></div><div>-&nbsp; The results do not remove the responsibility of Public Works to report to the Council about crypto or cows in the watershed.</div><div><br /></div><div>-&nbsp; Why did they take 64 elk fecal samples, 81 mountain goat samples, but only 4 cow fecal samples?</div><div><br /></div>- Why did Dr. De Bess ignore my phone call and not ask Dennis and I to go along even though I alerted him to our findings prior to his prominent trip with the Herald reporter(s) to Elk Creek?<br /><br /></div>-&nbsp; Why didn't they try to get cow pie samples from the calves that were in the area during our trip on the 19th, during their sampling mission, or during the following weeks when Councilor Dennis Dorrah went up to try and and repair the fence to keep the cows out and yet still found them in the watershed?<br /><br /></div>-&nbsp; Why did the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), or the state, destroy the ability to genotype the original 913 oocysts in the original water sample to see if it was&nbsp;<i>Cryptosporidium parvum?</i>&nbsp;By apparently staining the whole sample and not keeping anything aside for genotyping, that information will likely never be known. &nbsp;</div><div class="article-content"><div><div><br /></div><div>- Why was the effort by Dr. De Bess and his CDC companions so weak with regards to testing fecal material from the cows in the vicinity when he made his investigation? 4 cattle samples and 64 elk samples? There was ample fecal material outside the watershed fence when the Councilors and I made our trip to the watershed that could have been genotyped to determine whether the cows carried <i>Cryptosporidium parvum </i>that&nbsp;matched the<i>&nbsp;</i><i>Cryptosporidium parvum </i>found in the Baker City citizens suffering from cryptosporidiosis.<br /><br /><b>End Note:</b><br />At least one Baker City cancer patient contracted symptoms resembling those of&nbsp;cryptosporidiosis in July, and he died not long thereafter, before experimental treatments,&nbsp;an individualized immunotherapy vaccine,&nbsp;could be implemented in an effort to save him.<br />__<br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div><div>_____</div></div></div></div></div></div>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/city-reports-cdc-results-from-fecal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-4918115527792690826Sat, 07 Sep 2013 22:13:00 +00002013-09-10T21:32:36.710-07:00accountabilityBaker City CouncilCryptosporidiumCryptosporidium outbreakDrinking WaterNegligencePolitical CorrectnessprescienceQuail Ridge Golf CoursequalificationsresponsibilityWater planCrypto Crisis morphs into Council soap opera starring Clair Button as Blind Man<b>In this Edition:</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>-Crypto Crisis morphs into Council soap opera starring Clair Button as Blind Man </b>[Edit 9/8]<br /><b>-Golf Course operator Billy Cunningham said to have thrown in the towel.</b><br />__<br /><b>Crypto Crisis morphs into Council soap opera starring Clair Button as Blind Man</b><br /><br />In yesterday's <a href="http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/City-Council-divided-on-Kee-Owen">Herald article</a> on the developing Council soap opera, Councilor Clair Button is reported to have said:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><span class="s1">In a Thursday interview, Button said he doesn’t believe any city employee is or has been negligent.</span><span class="s1">“I haven’t seen anything to make me believe that somebody really screwed up something that they should have known better about,” Button said.</span><span class="s1">“I don’t believe in making scapegoats. The Council was warned in the past that there is a risk. You can’t expect people to see the future. The Council wasn’t prescient, and we can’t expect the staff to be either.”</span></i></blockquote>Prescient means:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">having or showing knowledge of events before they take place.&nbsp;"a prescient warning"<br />synonyms: prophetic, predictive, visionary </blockquote><div>&nbsp;Negligence means:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">(Lat. negligentia, from neglegere, to neglect, literally "not to pick up something") is a failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in like circumstances.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negligence#cite_note-1">[1]</a> The area of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tort">tort</a> law known as negligence involves harm caused by carelessness, not intentional harm.</blockquote>Councilor Button seems to be trying to bury the responsibility and accountability issues under a blanket of bromidic sermons, but are they true?<br /><br />Well, while it is true that people can't be expected to always predict the future, there are some situations or events that have easily predictable outcomes. For example, if you park your vehicle on a hill, leave it out of gear, don't put on the parking break, and don't turn the wheels toward the curb, you can predict with some certainty that it will roll down the hill, quite possibly resulting in some minor disaster. &nbsp;You could say the driver wasn't "prescient" or you could say the driver was "negligent." &nbsp;Which would you choose?<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With this in mind, lets review some of the facts surrounding Baker City's crypto crisis.</span></b><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) There was a lapse of over one year between the time Public Works received positive crypto test results until the time city staff informed Council&nbsp;about it. The tests were conducted in order to let Council know how to proceed with regard to water treatment.</span></blockquote><div style="font: 13.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Could Council have been expected to predict that staff would not inform them of the test results? If Council weren't told of the results could they be reasonably expected to proceed with the water treatment discussion and solutions in a timely and responsible manner and be deemed negligent if they didn't? &nbsp;Answer to all is obviously no.</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">On the other hand, if a public works employee or employees are waiting for test results they know are coming and don't read them or report them for over a year, that's not about prescience, it is simple negligence.&nbsp;</span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2)&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/163355104/1991-Watershed-Management-Plan-for-Baker-City-Oregon">Watershed Management Plan</a> with the state requires cows be kept out of the watershed, and the <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/163365460/Baker-City-2011-Watershed-Management-Report">Watershed Report from 2011</a> references a fence that was supposed to be built in the spring of 2012 to keep them out, but it never was. Council did not know about the planned fence or that materials had been purchased for it.&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Council did not know that cows were regularly getting into the watershed until August 19th of this year because staff hadn't told them or the Forest Service.&nbsp;</span></span></blockquote><div style="font: 13.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/163355104/1991-Watershed-Management-Plan-for-Baker-City-Oregon">Watershed Management Plan</a> requires that cows be kept out of the watershed and calls for city and Forest Service employees to monitor the situation to keep them out. The reason they are to be kept out of the watershed is that they carry disease producing organisms like Giardia and Cryptosporidium. We all know that, but city drinking water personnel are supposed to be acutely aware of that fact and to protect us from such possibilities. If staff knew that cows were getting into the watershed since at least 2011 but did not "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 19px;">exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in like circumstances" by informing the Council and building the fence that was planned to keep cows out, that is not a failure to predict the unknowable, it is, once again, negligence, because they knew it needed to be built to keep the cows out and help prevent a waterborne disease outbreak.</span></span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">3) Public works director Owen told Council on March 27, 2012, that the backup drinking water well at the golf course had been inoperable for a year and could be worked out through the water fund. It still is not operable.</span></blockquote><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Public works director Owen and the water department personnel should have known that the <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/163355104/1991-Watershed-Management-Plan-for-Baker-City-Oregon">Watershed Management Plan</a> designates the golf course well as our second drinking water well in case of an emergency, like for example a crypto outbreak or a fire in the watershed. It's not a matter of prescience because the reason the plan calls for it is that an eventual emergency has already been predicted. Not using water funds to repair the well and allowing the well to remain inoperable was&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 19px;">a "failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in like circumstances." Negligence by definition.</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">4) The Public Works Director did not meet the qualifications and experience requirements in the <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/163355104/1991-Watershed-Management-Plan-for-Baker-City-Oregon">Watershed Management Plan</a> which are a degree with specialization in engineering or equivalent background when she was hired.</span></blockquote></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Responsibility for this one rests with both former and current City Councils and the City Manager. The Watershed Management Plan states:</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>Minimum education of key personnel in&nbsp;Watershed Management:</b></i>&nbsp;</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>&nbsp;</b></i><i>(a)<b> Director of Public Works minimum qualifications:</b> Graduation from a four&nbsp;year college or university with specialization in<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span>civil engineering and three&nbsp;years of progressive responsible professional experience in public works&nbsp;administration including supervisory capacity; or any combination of&nbsp;experience and education that demonstrates provision of the knowledge, skills,&nbsp;and abilities listed above.&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This provision is included in the Water Management Plan to insure that Baker City Residents have appropriately educated and adequately qualified personnel overseeing the safety and over-all quality of our drinking water. It is there so that you don't end up in a situation where you've got a grocery store clerk or a secretary in charge of your drinking water program. As George H.W. Bush would say--"Wouldn't be prudent." More negligence</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are more facts that I could bring forth, but for now, I rest my case.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please don't get sidetracked by the rhetorical nonsense or outright distortions and apparent lies of one or more Councilors trying to get us focused on the tone of Council emails, and the idea that we've got "nice" Councilors and angelic competent staff fighting off the "mean-spirited"unwarranted attacks of a minority of "bad" Councilors. We don't. &nbsp;It's not about some sort of politically correct soap opera, it's about qualifications, diligent management, prudence and accountability. Can you say "negligence?"</span><br />__<br /><b>Golf Course operator Billy Cunningham said to have thrown in the towel.</b><br /><b><br /></b>Billy Cunningham is reported by three different knowledgable sources to have resigned as operator of Baker City's Quail Ridge Golf Course. The golf course has struggled to make ends meet, but particularly since the completion of the "back nine" holes over a decade ago.<br /><br />One current plan under discussion is to is to turn it into a public, non-profit organization/corporation along the lines of the Anthony Lakes ski area, which is owned by the County, but run by a public non-profit organization. &nbsp; More on this later I hope.<br />_____</div>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/crypto-crisis-morphs-into-council-soap.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-1868695381210013791Wed, 04 Sep 2013 06:50:00 +00002013-09-05T18:34:08.185-07:00AIPACFirst AmendmentgenocideholocaustIsraelIsrael LobbyMiddle EastPalestinianspropagandaReligionsectarianismslaverySyriaUS Foreign PolicyWarYinon PlanZionistsWhat is the deeper context of the Syrian sectarian civil war and increased US involvement?[Edited &amp; articles added, 9/4&amp;5/12]<br /><br />To arrive at a plausible explanation for why an armed struggle, such as that occurring in Syria, is taking place, and why we are involved, one must look at the historical context of the conflict and therefore at all the causes, historical events, and relationships that may have led up to it, both inside and outside of the conflict itself. So it goes without saying that one must not only look to the motivations of those historically associated with the conflict, but also of those who analyze it and either present justifications for it or arguments against it.<br /><br />I try to analyze many things, including the current sectarian civil war in Syria so my motivations are fair game. I am an atheist (god forbid, of course!) and an American (yes, I'm just as patriotic is you are, even if we disagree.). I have a special fondness for the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which states:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><u>Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof</u>; <u>or abridging the freedom of speech</u>, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. </i>[Emphasis added]</blockquote>Most Americans reject the idea that we should live under the dictates of any particular religion or religious sect. Because Americans of different religions or of no religion at all, enjoy the freedoms inherent in the First Amendment, most reject the idea that America should be set aside as a Christian state of general or specific denomination (or as a state devoted to the European ethnicity of the colonists), and both atheists and people of the Jewish religion/ethnicity, some of whom are atheists, have been at the forefront of the struggle to defend our fist amendment rights. That is why I find al Qaeda, extreme American Christian fundamentalists, the more extreme elements of the Muslim Brotherhood, and Zionists similarly abhorrent (Assad, a secularist, is none of these, although he oversees a sometimes brutal authoritarian government that is perhaps not as bad as the sectarian <u>monarchies</u> in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, or the current military government in Egypt.)<br /><br />When we look at the history of conflict in the Middle East, however, we see in recent history some movements and countries who have set people to fighting amognst each other according to religious and ethnic interests. Prior to the European Zionist program to establish a "Jewish State" in the region of Palestine, the Arabs, &nbsp;Persians, and Jews got along reasonably well. After the Western Powers in charge after WWII decided that the Jewish people should be able to establish a&nbsp;"Jewish State" in the midst of Arab Palestinians though, things deteriorated rapidly. Suddenly, Americans were continuously coerced into supporting the tiny "State of Israel" in wars to protect Israel's interests, even when it was not necessarily in <a href="http://www.councilforthenationalinterest.org/">our own national interest</a> to do so.<br /><br />One wonders why. Jewish people in the United States constitute a small fraction, 2 or 3% at most, of our population (about the same as Muslims), and many Jews do not support the occupations or Zionist Israeli expansion into the states bordering Israel, which are predominantly Muslim states, like Syria. Many do not support the <a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/killing-civilians-and-other-war-crimes.html">barbaric treatment of Palestinians</a> that breeds such resentment in Palestine and the nearby Muslim Arab and Persian states.<br /><br />One wonders why Americans have come to support the establishment of a "Jewish State" in Israel, when we whole-heartedly reject the idea that America could be officially established as a Christian, atheist, Muslim, or Jewish state. It gets confusing, because Jewishness connotes both a religion, Judaism, and an ethnicity, but you have heard much uproar at the idea that America, one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world, should call itself a Christian state or a state of European ancestry.<br /><br />Why then is America, or any other country, but especially America with its First Amendment, supporting the idea that Israel can declare openly that it is a&nbsp;"Jewish State?" Why don't they just invite the Palestinians to share in the homeland they have taken from them and have fair elections? (Answer: The Palestinians in their homeland would far outnumber the Israelis, even with all the Jewish immigration from other countries, especially if the Palestinian refugees were allowed to come home.) In particular, with reference to we Americans, why are some American Jews, who fight so strongly here for the separation of church and state, fighting so strongly for our defense of Israel, a "state" that so whole-heatedly rejects that same concept?<br /><br />This situation can only occur if people are uninformed, ignore their cognitive dissonance, or if the media and Congress are heavily under the influence of those that support these notions that go against our founding principles. Just look at the fawning attention of Congress to the needs of Israel while they ignore our many pressing needs at home.<br /><br />Remember that technically Israel and Syria, while reaching a ceasefire agreement after the 1973 Yom Kippur War, are still at war, and that Israel still occupies and transfers its citizens to the illegally held Golan Heights, which was taken from Syria in the 1967 war. Israel has every reason to weaken Syria because Israel is still occupying and settling their country, on the Golan Heights, in violation of international law--not that international law really means much to the rogue states of the US and Israel.<br /><br />This situation is part of the reason you see the Nobel&nbsp;Peace&nbsp;Prize winner, Mr. "Hope and Change," placed into a position where he thinks it is advantageous to lie openly to the American people about his certainty of a Syrian chemical weapons attack on the Syrian rebels before all the evidence is in, and to commit to an attack on Syria that can only bring us more hatred from Muslims, more hatred from the real "International Community," more terrorist activities, more suffering in Syria, while promoting an attach which would make him a war criminal&nbsp;once again.<br /><br />I realize that some are thinking that all this frank talk about the Israeli state, Zionism, and Jews in America must only come from an "Anti-Semite," because that is exactly what you have been taught to think by the mainstream media. That's why they incessantly present programs on PBS, NPR, and other networks, about the Jewish holocaust (no capital H), instead of incessantly bringing you programs about other important genocidal activities,&nbsp;like&nbsp;our murderous wars on the Native Americans, the African slave trade, slavery in the US, the treatment of the Irish by the English during the potato famine, Colonial period massacres, the Armenian holocaust, the slaughter of millions of Russians in WWII, or the Rwandan genocide. You are not allowed to criticize Israel's criminality. That is why the media constantly demonizes people who criticize Israel with the label of anti-Semite, even though the Palestinians are Semite too. That is why they even call Jewish critics like <a href="http://normanfinkelstein.com/">Norman Finklestein</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Shahak">Israel Shahak</a> "self-hating Jews" or anti-Semites.<br /><br />I guess some will have to get up off their programmed asses and look at the real history, the owners, producers, editors, reporters and guests in the mainstream media, and the activities of <a href="http://www.lrb.co.uk/v28/n06/john-mearsheimer/the-israel-lobby">the Israel Lobby</a>&nbsp;(<a href="http://mondoweiss.net/2013/09/how-aipac-works-your-rep-using-donors-rabbis-and-jewish-members-of-congress.html">AIPAC</a>, etc.) t<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">o figure all that out. NPR, for example, regularly features spokespeople from the&nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP), a pro-Israeli foreign policy think-tank. WINEP is a simply another propaganda arm of AIPAC. This morning,&nbsp;</span></span>Renee Montagne talked "<a href="http://www.npr.org/2013/09/04/218811161/how-much-does-israeli-security-enter-into-u-s-decision-on-syria">to analyst David Makovsky of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy about the degree to which concern for Israel is shaping the Obama administration's thinking on Syria</a>." His purpose was to show that our concerns should be Israel's concerns about Iran, more than Syria. The message was that Israel is dependent on our commitments to "red lines" being kept so as to send a message to Iran, another of their sworn enemies in the neighborhood. Tonight, PBS's <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/world/july-dec13/syria_09-03.html">Newshour</a> has Jewish&nbsp;pro-war&nbsp;Senator Carl Levin telling us what to think.&nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A careful look at AIPAC's activities and media bias should tell people what they need to know</span>, so I'm not going to tell you about the important Jewish friendships in my life, or the respect I have for many Jewish commentators like Glenn Greenwald, Noam Chomsky, and the rest. Just read my past posts. After all, in an irrational, emotionally manipulated, ideological, and propagandized world, the truth is no defense. Anyone who roundly criticizes Israel is by their definition an anti-Semite. That is as true as their implying that a Barak Obama attack on Syria, sans UN approval, would be legal under international law. Like their evidence for Iraq and Syria WMD, their arguments are completely bogus.<br /><br />Reminder from Tom Feeley at <a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/">Information Clearing House</a>:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><em>"We must make clear to the Germans that the wrong for which their fallen leaders are on trial is not that they lost the war, but that they started it." - <strong>Robert H. Jackson</strong> was the chief United States prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials.<br /> </em></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><em>&nbsp;</em></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><em>"To initiate a war of aggression, therefore, is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." <strong>Robert H. Jackson</strong> was the chief United States prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials.&nbsp;</em></span></blockquote>For more about Israel, search on "Israel" in the search function at the upper left hand portion of the blog, below the Google search function.<br /><br />So. . . . &nbsp;Here is one of the most important articles on the historical context of the war on Syria. It comes from Global Research and provides a very important perspective from Israel Shahak. You may notice a similarity to American foreign policy in other areas, like the Balkans, when the US was busy carving up the socialist Yugoslavian state into selfish ethnic interests.<br /><br />It is followed by links to many more articles on the current situation in regard to Obama's perceived need to attack Syria in our name.<br />__<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">“Greater Israel”: The Zionist Plan for the Middle East</span><br /><div class="author">By <a href="http://www.globalresearch.ca/author/israel-shahak" title="Posts by Israel Shahak">Israel Shahak</a></div><div class="grDate">Global Research, August 26, 2013</div><div class="url">Url of this article:<br /><a href="http://www.globalresearch.ca/greater-israel-the-zionist-plan-for-the-middle-east/5324815">http://www.globalresearch.ca/greater-israel-the-zionist-plan-for-the-middle-east/5324815</a></div><div class="article-content"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Global Research Editor’s Note<br /></strong></div><em>The following document pertaining to the formation of “Greater Israel” constitutes the cornerstone of powerful Zionist factions within the current Netanyahu government, the Likud party, as well as within the Israeli military and intelligence establishment.</em><br /><em>According to the founding father of Zionism Theodore Herzl, “the area of the Jewish State stretches: “From the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates.”&nbsp; According to Rabbi Fischmann,&nbsp; “The Promised Land extends from the River of Egypt up to the Euphrates, it includes parts of Syria and Lebanon.”</em><br /><em><img alt="" class="alignright" height="434" 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" width="295" />&nbsp;</em></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>When viewed in the current context, the war on Iraq, the 2006 war on Lebanon, the 2011 war on Libya, the ongoing war on Syria, not to mention the process of regime change in Egypt, must be understood in relation to the Zionist Plan for the Middle East. The latter consists in weakening and eventually fracturing neighboring Arab states as part of an Israeli expansionist project. </em><br /><em>“Greater Israel” consists in an area extending from the Nile Valley to the Euphrates. </em><br /><em>The Zionist project supports the Jewish settlement movement. More broadly it involves a policy of excluding Palestinians from Palestine leading to the eventual annexation of both the West Bank and Gaza to the State of Israel. </em><br /><em>Greater Israel would create a number of proxy States. It would include parts of Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, the Sinai, as well as parts of&nbsp; Iraq and Saudi Arabia. (See map).<br /></em><br /><em>According to <a href="http://www.globalresearch.ca/preparing-the-chessboard-for-the-clash-of-civilizations-divide-conquer-and-rule-the-new-middle-east/27786#sthash.NR4B4ebu.dpuf">Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya in a 2011 Global Research article,<strong>&nbsp;</strong></a>&nbsp; The Yinon Plan was a continuation of Britain’s colonial design in the Middle East:</em><br /><div style="padding-left: 30px; text-align: justify;"><em>“[The Yinon plan] is an Israeli strategic plan to ensure Israeli regional superiority. It insists and stipulates that Israel must reconfigure its geo-political environment through the balkanization of the surrounding Arab states into smaller and weaker states.</em></div><div style="padding-left: 30px; text-align: justify;"><em>Israeli strategists viewed Iraq as their biggest strategic challenge from an Arab state. This is why Iraq was outlined as the centerpiece to the balkanization of the Middle East and the Arab World. In Iraq, on the basis of the concepts of the Yinon Plan, Israeli strategists have called for the division of Iraq into a Kurdish state and two Arab states, one for Shiite Muslims and the other for Sunni Muslims. The first step towards establishing this was a war between Iraq and Iran, which the Yinon Plan discusses.</em></div><div style="padding-left: 30px;"><em>The Atlantic, in 2008, and the U.S. military’s Armed Forces Journal, in 2006, both published widely circulated maps that closely followed the outline of the Yinon Plan. Aside from a divided Iraq, which the Biden Plan also calls for, the Yinon Plan calls for a divided Lebanon, Egypt, and Syria. The partitioning of Iran, Turkey, Somalia, and Pakistan also all fall into line with these views. The Yinon Plan also calls for dissolution in North Africa and forecasts it as starting from Egypt and then spilling over into Sudan, Libya, and the rest of the region.</em></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img alt="File:Greater israel.jpg" height="409" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6d/Greater_israel.jpg" width="390" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><em>Greater Israel” requires the breaking up of the existing Arab states into small states.</em></div><div style="padding-left: 30px;"><em>“The plan operates on two essential premises. To survive, Israel must 1)<strong> become an imperial regional power</strong>, and 2) must effect the division of the whole area into small states by the dissolution of all existing Arab states. Small here will depend on the ethnic or sectarian composition of each state. Consequently, the Zionist hope is that sectarian-based states become Israel’s satellites and, ironically, its source of moral legitimation…&nbsp; This is not a new idea, nor does it surface for the first time in Zionist strategic thinking. Indeed, fragmenting all Arab states into smaller units has been a recurrent theme.” (Yinon Plan, see below)<br /></em></div><em>Viewed in this context, the war on Syria is part of the process of Israeli territorial expansion. Israeli intelligence working hand in glove with the US, Turkey and NATO is directly supportive of the Al Qaeda terrorist mercenaries inside Syria. </em><br /><em>The Zionist Project also requires the destabilization of Egypt, the creation of factional divisions within Egypt as instrumented by the “Arab Spring” leading to the formation of a sectarian based State dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood.</em><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>Michel Chossudovsky, Global Research, March 3, 2013</strong></div><hr /><h2 style="text-align: center;"></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><i><strong style="text-align: center;">The Zionist Plan for the Middle East</strong><span style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</span></i></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Translated and edited by</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><i>Israel Shahak</i></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><i>The Israel of Theodore Herzl (1904) and of Rabbi Fischmann (1947)</i></strong></div><em>In his Complete Diaries, Vol. II. p. 711, Theodore Herzl, the founder of Zionism, says that the area of the Jewish State stretches: “From the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates.”</em><br /><em>Rabbi Fischmann, member of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, declared in his testimony to the U.N. Special Committee of Enquiry on 9 July 1947: “The Promised Land extends from the River of Egypt up to the Euphrates, it includes parts of Syria and Lebanon.”</em></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><i>from</i></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><i>Oded Yinon’s</i></strong></div><h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong><i>“A Strategy for Israel in the Nineteen Eighties”</i></strong></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Published by the</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Association of Arab-American University Graduates, Inc.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Belmont, Massachusetts, 1982</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Special Document No. 1 (ISBN 0-937694-56-8)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><i>Table of Contents</i></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.geocities.com/roundtable_texts/"> Publisher’s Not</a>e1</strong></i></div><em>The Association of Arab-American University Graduates finds it compelling to inaugurate its new publication series, Special Documents, with Oded Yinon’s article which appeared in Kivunim (Directions), the journal of the Department of Information of the World Zionist Organization. Oded Yinon is an Israeli journalist and was formerly attached to the Foreign Ministry of Israel. To our knowledge, this document is the most explicit, detailed and unambiguous statement to date of the Zionist strategy in the Middle East. Furthermore, it stands as an accurate representation of the “vision” for the entire Middle East of the presently ruling Zionist regime of Begin, Sharon and Eitan. Its importance, hence, lies not in its historical value but in the nightmare which it presents.</em><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>2</strong></em></div><em>The plan operates on two essential premises. To survive, Israel must 1) become an imperial regional power, and 2) must effect the division of the whole area into small states by the dissolution of all existing Arab states. Small here will depend on the ethnic or sectarian composition of each state. Consequently, the Zionist hope is that sectarian-based states become Israel’s satellites and, ironically, its source of moral legitimation.</em><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>3</strong></em></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>This is not a new idea, nor does it surface for the first time in Zionist strategic thinking. Indeed, fragmenting all Arab states into smaller units has been a recurrent theme. This theme has been documented on a very modest scale in the AAUG publication, <a href="http://www.geocities.com/roundtable_texts/sacredterror.html">&nbsp;Israel’s Sacred Terrorism</a> (1980), by Livia Rokach. Based on the memoirs of Moshe Sharett, former Prime Minister of Israel, Rokach’s study documents, in convincing detail, the Zionist plan as it applies to Lebanon and as it was prepared in the mid-fifties.</em><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>4</strong></em></div><em>The first massive Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1978 bore this plan out to the minutest detail. The second and more barbaric and encompassing Israeli invasion of Lebanon on June 6, 1982, aims to effect certain parts of this plan which hopes to see not only Lebanon, but Syria and Jordan as well, in fragments. This ought to make mockery of Israeli public claims regarding their desire for a strong and independent Lebanese central government. More accurately, they want a Lebanese central government that sanctions their regional imperialist designs by signing a peace treaty with them. They also seek acquiescence in their designs by the Syrian, Iraqi, Jordanian and other Arab governments as well as by the Palestinian people. What they want and what they are planning for is not an Arab world, but a world of Arab fragments that is ready to succumb to Israeli hegemony. Hence, Oded Yinon in his essay, “A Strategy for Israel in the 1980′s,” talks about “far-reaching opportunities for the first time since 1967″ that are created by the “very stormy situation [that] surrounds Israel.”</em><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>5</strong></em></div><em>The Zionist policy of displacing the Palestinians from Palestine is very much an active policy, but is pursued more forcefully in times of conflict, such as in the 1947-1948 war and in the 1967 war. An appendix entitled <a href="http://www.geocities.com/roundtable_texts/newexodus.html">&nbsp;”Israel Talks of a New Exodus”</a> is included in this publication to demonstrate past Zionist dispersals of Palestinians from their homeland and to show, besides the main Zionist document we present, other Zionist planning for the de-Palestinization of Palestine.</em><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>6</strong></em></div><em>It is clear from the Kivunim document, published in February, 1982, that the “far-reaching opportunities” of which Zionist strategists have been thinking are the same “opportunities” of which they are trying to convince the world and which they claim were generated by their June, 1982 invasion. It is also clear that the Palestinians were never the sole target of Zionist plans, but the priority target since their viable and independent presence as a people negates the essence of the Zionist state. Every Arab state, however, especially those with cohesive and clear nationalist directions, is a real target sooner or later.</em><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>7</strong></em></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>Contrasted with the detailed and unambiguous Zionist strategy elucidated in this document, Arab and Palestinian strategy, unfortunately, suffers from ambiguity and incoherence. There is no indication that Arab strategists have internalized the Zionist plan in its full ramifications. Instead, they react with incredulity and shock whenever a new stage of it unfolds. This is apparent in Arab reaction, albeit muted, to the Israeli siege of Beirut. The sad fact is that as long as the Zionist strategy for the Middle East is not taken seriously Arab reaction to any future siege of other Arab capitals will be the same.</em><br /><em>Khalil Nakhleh</em><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><em>July 23, 1982</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><i>Foreward</i></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><i>by Israel Shahak</i></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><i>1</i></strong></div><i>The following essay represents, in my opinion, the accurate and detailed plan of the present Zionist regime (of Sharon and Eitan) for the Middle East which is based on the division of the whole area into small states, and the dissolution of all the existing Arab states. I will comment on the military aspect of this plan in a concluding note. Here I want to draw the attention of the readers to several important points:</i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><i>2</i></strong></div><i>1. The idea that all the Arab states should be broken down, by Israel, into small units, occurs again and again in Israeli strategic thinking. For example, Ze’ev Schiff, the military correspondent of Ha’aretz (and probably the most knowledgeable in Israel, on this topic) writes about the “best” that can happen for Israeli interests in Iraq: “The dissolution of Iraq into a Shi’ite state, a Sunni state and the separation of the Kurdish part” (Ha’aretz 6/2/1982). Actually, this aspect of the plan is very old.</i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><i>3</i></strong></div><i>2. The strong connection with Neo-Conservative thought in the USA is very prominent, especially in the author’s notes. But, while lip service is paid to the idea of the “defense of the West” from Soviet power, the real aim of the author, and of the present Israeli establishment is clear: To make an Imperial Israel into a world power. In other words, the aim of Sharon is to deceive the Americans after he has deceived all the rest.</i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><i>4</i></strong></div><i>3. It is obvious that much of the relevant data, both in the notes and in the text, is garbled or omitted, such as the financial help of the U.S. to Israel. Much of it is pure fantasy. But, the plan is not to be regarded as not influential, or as not capable of realization for a short time. The plan follows faithfully the geopolitical ideas current in Germany of 1890-1933, which were swallowed whole by Hitler and the Nazi movement, and determined their aims for East Europe. Those aims, especially the division of the existing states, were carried out in 1939-1941, and only an alliance on the global scale prevented their consolidation for a period of time.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><i>5</i></strong></div><i>The notes by the author follow the text. To avoid confusion, I did not add any notes of my own, but have put the substance of them into this foreward and the conclusion at the end. I have, however, emphasized some portions of the text.</i><br /><strong><em>Israel Shahak</em></strong><br /><strong><i>June 13, 1982</i></strong></div><br />For the rest of this article, see:<br /><h1 class="article-title"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.globalresearch.ca/greater-israel-the-zionist-plan-for-the-middle-east/5324815?print=1">“Greater Israel”: The Zionist Plan for the Middle East</a></span></h1><div class="author">By <a href="http://www.globalresearch.ca/author/israel-shahak" title="Posts by Israel Shahak">Israel Shahak</a></div><div class="grDate">Global Research, August 26, 2013</div><div class="grDate">__</div><div class="grDate">Additional Reading:<br /><br /></div><div class="grDate">This first article&nbsp;<span class="st"><em>completely</em></span>&nbsp;blows away&nbsp;(forgive the language) the Obama adminsitration's argument for war on Syria:</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36079.htm">Point-By-Point Rebuttal of U.S. Case for War In Syria The American War Brief Is Extremely Weak</a></span><br /><br />By <a href="http://www.washingtonsblog.com/">WashingtonsBlog </a><br />__<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">PEW Poll:</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.people-press.org/2013/09/03/public-opinion-runs-against-syrian-airstrikes/">Public Opinion Runs Against Syrian Airstrikes-- Few See U.S. Military Action Discouraging Chemical Weapons Use</a></span><br /><i>President Obama faces an uphill battle in making the case for U.S. military action in Syria. By a 48% to 29% margin, more Americans oppose than support conducting military airstrikes against Syria <u>in response to reports that the Syrian government used chemical weapons.</u></i><br /><i>The new national survey by the Pew Research Center, conducted Aug. 29-Sept. 1 among 1,000 adults, finds that Obama has significant ground to make up in his own party. Just 29% of Democrats favor conducting airstrikes against Syria while 48% are opposed. Opinion among independents is similar (29% favor, 50% oppose). Republicans are more divided, with 35% favoring airstrikes and 40% opposed.</i> [Emphasis Added]<br />__<br />Washington Post--Politics<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 32px; font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/pro-israel-and-jewish-groups-strongly-back-military-strike-against-syria/2013/09/03/f7499a96-14a3-11e3-b182-1b3bb2eb474c_story.html">Pro-Israel and Jewish groups strongly back military strike against Syria</a></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold;">By <span class="author"> Matea Gold and <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/holly-yeager/2013/08/26/88623f98-0e7c-11e3-85b6-d27422650fd5_page.html" rel="author">Holly Yeager</a></span>, <span class="timestamp updated processed" contenttype="article" datetitle="published" epochtime="1378255916000" pagetype="leaf">Published: September 3</span></span><br /><br /><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i>Many of the United States’ most influential pro-Israel and Jewish groups on Tuesday backed the Obama administration’s call for military action in Syria, putting strong momentum behind <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-says-he-is-confident-of-congressional-backing-for-strike-on-syria/2013/09/03/aeee7e60-149e-11e3-a100-66fa8fd9a50c_story.html">the effort to persuade reluctant lawmakers</a> to authorize a strike against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.&nbsp;The stances mark a new phase in the debate over how to respond to Assad’s alleged use of chemical weapons against Syrian civilians, setting in motion a robust lobbying effort on Capitol Hill — powered &nbsp;in part by the memory of the Holocaust and how the Nazis gassed Jews.&nbsp;After a period of conspicuous silence on the issue, major groups such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the &nbsp;Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations called for bipartisan consensus Tuesday around the use of force. . . . .</i></div><i>__</i><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow'; font-size: 36px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/09/02/201027/to-some-us-case-for-syrian-gas.html#.UifuEo6i5v0">To some, US case for Syrian gas attack, strike has too many holes</a></span></i></span><i></i><br /><i></i><br /><div style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><br /></i></div><i></i><br /><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i>WASHINGTON — The Obama administration’s public case for attacking Syria is riddled with inconsistencies and hinges mainly on circumstantial evidence, undermining U.S. efforts this week to build support at home and abroad for a punitive strike against Bashar Assad’s regime.</i></div><i></i><br /><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i>See also DN!: <a href="http://www.democracynow.org/2013/9/4/as_us_pushes_for_syria_strike">As U.S. Pushes For Syria Strike, Questions Loom over Obama Claims in Chemical Attack</a></i></div><i></i><i>__</i><br /><h1 property="dc.title"><div><div class="article_body entry-content"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; text-transform: capitalize;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://mondoweiss.net/2013/09/former-bush-official-syria-resolution-could-authorize-attack-on-iran-and-lebanon.html">Former Bush official: Syria resolution could authorize attack on Iran and Lebanon</a></span></b></span></div></div></h1><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><b>By Alex Kane </b><br /> <br /> </span><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">September 02, 2013 "</span><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Information Clearing House</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"> - "</span><a href="http://mondoweiss.net/2013/09/former-bush-official-syria-resolution-could-authorize-attack-on-iran-and-lebanon.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mondoweiss</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;">" -&nbsp; </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">A former legal official from the Bush administration has warned that </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> <a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36064.htm"> the text of President Barack Obama’s resolution</a> authorizing the use of military force on Syria is so broad that it could justify attacks on Iran and Lebanon. Jack Goldsmith, a Harvard Law professor who resigned from the Bush administration over its&nbsp; executive overreach, <a href="http://www.lawfareblog.com/2013/09/the-administrations-proposed-syria-aumf-is-very-broad/"> wrote today in Lawfare</a> that “the proposed AUMF focuses on Syrian WMD but is otherwise very broad” and that it “does not contain specific limits on targets.”</span></i></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"> After Obama’s Rose Garden speech yesterday, he sent Congress the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/31/us/obama-authorization-request-text/"> text of his proposed resolution</a> on striking Syria in response to the chemical weapons attack on Ghouta. While Congress could modify the resolution, as it stands it’s a document authorizing the use of force on a broad array of targets and could justify deeper U.S. military involvement in the Middle East. Here’s </span> <a href="http://www.lawfareblog.com/2013/09/the-administrations-proposed-syria-aumf-is-very-broad/"> <span style="font-size: medium;">more of Goldsmith’s analysis:</span></a></i></span></div><blockquote><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">(1)&nbsp;<em>Does the proposed AUMF authorize the President to take sides in the Syrian Civil War, or to attack Syrian rebels associated with al Qaeda, or to remove Assad from power?</em>&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes, as long as the President determines that any of these entities has a (mere) connection to the use of WMD in the Syrian civil war, and that the use of force against one of them would prevent&nbsp;<em>or deter</em>&nbsp;the use or proliferation of WMD within,&nbsp;<em>or to and from</em>, Syria,&nbsp;<em>or&nbsp;</em>protect the U.S.&nbsp;<em>or&nbsp;</em>its allies (e.g. Israel) against the (mere) threat posed by those weapons.&nbsp; It is very easy to imagine the President making such determinations with regard to Assad or one or more of the rebel groups.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">(2)&nbsp;<em>Does the proposed AUMF authorize the President to use force against Iran or Hezbollah, in Iran or Lebanon?&nbsp;&nbsp;</em>Again,&nbsp;yes, as long as the President determines that Iran or Hezbollah has a (mere) a connection to the use of WMD in the Syrian civil war, and the use of force against Iran or Hezbollah would prevent&nbsp;<em>or deter&nbsp;</em>the use or proliferation of WMD within,&nbsp;<em>or to and from</em>, Syria,&nbsp;or&nbsp;protect the U.S.&nbsp;<em>or&nbsp;</em>its allies (e.g. Israel) against the (mere) threat posed by those weapons. &nbsp;Again, very easy to imagine.</span></div></blockquote><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">It brings to mind the AUMF passed in the aftermath of September 11. While that resolution directly concerned Al Qaeda and the Taliban, it was later broadened to justify drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia–even on </span> <span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/04/09/188062/obamas-drone-war-kills-others.html#.UiOAL2Q4XKw">targets that were clearly not part of Al Qaeda.</a></span></i></span></div><div align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="http://mondoweiss.net/2013/09/former-bush-official-syria-resolution-could-authorize-attack-on-iran-and-lebanon.html">More</a></span></div>__<br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b><a href="http://consortiumnews.com/2013/09/03/should-we-fall-again-for-trust-me/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Should We Fall Again for ‘Trust Me’?</span></a><br /> </b></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br /> <b>By Ray McGovern</b><br /> </span><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">September 03, 2013 "</span><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Information Clearing House</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"> -</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> In a dazzling display of chutzpah, the White House is demanding that Congress demonstrate blind trust in a U.S. intelligence establishment headed by James Clapper, a self-confessed perjurer.<br /> <br /> That’s a lot to ask in seeking approval for a military attack on Syria, a country posing no credible threat to the United States. But with the help of the same corporate media that cheer-led us into war with Iraq, the administration has already largely succeeded in turning public discussion into one that assumes the accuracy of both the intelligence on the apparent Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack in Syria and President Barack Obama’s far-fetched claim that Syria is somehow a threat to the United States.</span></i></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><i>Here we go again with&nbsp;the old political gamesmanship over&nbsp;”facts” as&nbsp;a prelude to war, a replay of intelligence trickery&nbsp;from Vietnam’s Gulf of Tonkin to&nbsp;Iraq’s nonexistent&nbsp;WMD.&nbsp;Once more,&nbsp;White House officials are mounting&nbsp;a full-court press in Congress, hoping there will be enough ball turnovers to enable the administration to pull out a victory, with the corporate media acting as hometown referees.</i></span></div><div align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://consortiumnews.com/2013/09/03/should-we-fall-again-for-trust-me/">More</a></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">__</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></div><div align="left" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1378142855546_2896"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36077.htm">How “Progressives” and the American “Left” are Failing Over Syria</a></b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> <br /> <b>By Shamus Cooke</b><br /> &nbsp;September 03, 2013 "</span><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/" style="font-size: large; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Information Clearing House</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"> - It’s now painfully clear that Obama’s war on Syria is a replay of Bush’s march to war in Iraq, both built on lies. Zero evidence has been put forth that proves the Syrian government used chemical weapons. On the contrary, <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/31/1235222/-We-Now-Have-a-Credible-Report-that-the-Rebels-Gassed-Ghouta-not-Assad-s-Forces" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> evidence</a></span><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1378142855546_2897" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/31/1235222/-We-Now-Have-a-Credible-Report-that-the-Rebels-Gassed-Ghouta-not-Assad-s-Forces" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> has been collected</a> that suggests the U.S.-backed Syrian rebels are responsible for the attack. &nbsp;</span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br /><div align="left" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1378142855546_2898" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">&nbsp;If Obama wages an aggressive attack on Syria — especially without UN authorization — he’ll be committing a major international crime that will, by any standard, make him a war criminal, just like Bush before him.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">And because Obama’s attack on Syria followed Bush’s logic, you’d assume that liberal, progressive, and other Left groups would do what they did when Bush went to war: denounce it unconditionally and organize against it.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1378142855546_2899" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">But that’s not what happened. Because this didn’t happen, less accurate information was made available to the public, and fewer public mobilizations have occurred, thus re-enforcing Obama’s ability to wage an aggressive war.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">There are four pieces of information that all left groups have a duty to report about Syria, but they have either ignored or minimized:</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1378142855546_2900" style="font-size: large; padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><em><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">1) Obama presented zero evidence to back up his main justification for war: that the Syrian Government used chemical weapons against civilians.</span></em></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1378142855546_2902" style="font-size: large; padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><em><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">2) A top UN investigator, <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10039672/UN-accuses-Syrian-rebels-of-chemical-weapons-use.html" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1378142855546_2901" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Carla Del Ponte</a>, blamed a previous chemical weapons attack on the U.S.-backed rebels.</span></em></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" style="font-size: large; padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><em> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">3) Any attack on Syria, no matter how “limited,” has a high risk of expanding into neighboring countries if Syria exercises its right as a sovereign nation to defend itself.</span></em></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" style="font-size: large; padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><em> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">4) A war against Syria will be a violation of international law, since it is not approved by the UN, and therefore will make President Obama a war criminal.</span></em></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" style="font-size: large; padding-left: 30px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><em><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36077.htm">More</a></span></em></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><em>__</em></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></div><div align="left" style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36083.htm">N.Y. Times Scraps AIPAC From Syria Story</a></b></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br /> <br /> <b>By HADAS GOLD </b></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br /><div class="entrytext"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br /><div align="left" style="font-size: large; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> September 03, 2013 "</span><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Information Clearing House</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"> - "</span><a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/09/ny-times-scraps-aipac-from-syria-story-171669.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Politico</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;">" -</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> -&nbsp;&nbsp; A reference to the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC was mysteriously cut from a New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/03/world/middleeast/syria.html?_r=0&amp;pagewanted=all" target="_blank"> article</a> published online Monday and in print Tuesday. The first version, published online Monday, quotes an anonymous administration official calling AIPAC the "800-pound gorilla in the room." The original article, which is <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2013/09/02/obama-pushes-for-approval-syria-military-strike/kBwJRFicDkYsIsG0g8eSpJ/story.html"> still available</a> on the Boston Globe's site, had two paragraphs worth of quotes from officials about the powerful lobbying group's position in the Syria debate:</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><blockquote style="font-size: large;"><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><i> Administration officials said the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee was already at work pressing for military action against the government of Assad, fearing that if Syria escapes American retribution for its use of chemical weapons, Iran might be emboldened in the future to attack Israel. In the House, the majority leader, Eric Cantor of Virginia, the only Jewish Republican in Congress </i>[Their are an additional 21 Jews in the House of Representatives who are Democrats--there are 13 Jews in the Senate, i.e., 13%, far in excess of their percentage of the US population. Chris]<i>, has long worked to challenge Democrats’ traditional base among Jews.</i></span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> One administration official, who, like others, declined to be identified discussing White House strategy, called AIPAC “the 800-pound gorilla in the room,” and said its allies in Congress had to be saying, “If the White House is not capable of enforcing this red line” against the catastrophic use of chemical weapons, “we’re in trouble.”</span></span></div></blockquote><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" style="font-size: large; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">The newer version makes no reference to AIPAC and does not include an editor's note explaining any change, other than a typical note at the end of the story noting that a version of the article appeared in the Tuesday print edition of the Times.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" style="font-size: large; font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36083.htm">More</a></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">__</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://mondoweiss.net/2013/09/dubious-intelligence-and-iran-blackmail-how-israel-is-driving-the-us-to-war-in-syria.html">Dubious Intelligence and Iran Blackmail: How Israel is driving the US to war in Syria</a></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br /><div class="entry-meta" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><em><a href="http://mondoweiss.net/author/maxblumenthal" rel="author" title="Posts by Max Blumenthal">Max Blumenthal</a> on September 1, 2013&nbsp;</em> </span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div class="entry-meta" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><em>__</em></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div class="entry-meta" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: large; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36075.htm">"As a Jew," <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b>Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz Invokes Holocaust In Making Case For Bombing Syria</b></span></a></span></div><div class="entry-meta"><div class="entry-body" style="font-style: italic;"><h3 align="left" class="entry-header entry-title"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <b style="font-size: large;">By Marc A Caputo</b><br /> <br /> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">September 02, 2013 "</span><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Information Clearing House</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"> - "</span><a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/about_us/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Miami Herald</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;">" - </span></span> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">&nbsp; <span style="font-weight: 400;">U.S. Rep. and Democratic National Committee leader Debbie Wasserman Schultz today issued a statement that called on Congress to approve President Obama's call for war.</span></span></span></h3><div align="left" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> Tonight, she kicked it up a notch in an interview on CNN with Wolf Blitzer, where she invoked the Holocaust. Wasserman Schultz noted that her Weston-to-Miami Beach District has one of the largest Holocaust-survivor populations in the nation.</span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">"As a Jew," she said, "the concept of 'never again' has to mean something." She also noted the "searing images" of children killed in what appears to have been a chemical-weapons strike</span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> Indeed. But the concept of Bashar al-Assad as Hitler is something the Obama Administration and his supporters have to prove to a majority of the members of Congress.</span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">And they haven't done it yet.</span></span></div></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><i style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5048201045566969374" id="more"></a></i> </span><br /><div class="entry-more"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br /><div align="left" style="font-size: large; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> Instead, backers for war in Syria simply say that classified U.S. intelligence stringly indicates Assad used chemical weapons. So what's the evidence? </span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" style="font-size: large; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Well, we don't have the right to see it. We have to trust the politicians and the bureaucrats. The White House's unclassified <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/08/30/government-assessment-syrian-government-s-use-chemical-weapons-august-21" target="_self"> case for war is here</a>. But as our McClatchy DC bureau reports,<a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/09/02/201027/to-some-us-case-for-syrian-gas.html#.UiVJhIXOU7A" target="_self"> the case is rife with inconsistencies and circumstantial evidence</a>.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" style="font-size: large; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> And Wasserman Schultz's fellow Florida Democrat, </span> <span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2013/08/democrat-alan-grayson-obamas-case-for-striking-syria-flatly-false.html" target="_self">Alan Grayson, indicated last week that this could be a mistake and that it's "flatly false" for the Obama's Administration to claim that Assad's use of chemical weapons is "undeniable."</a></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left" style="font-size: large; font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36075.htm">More</a></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /><div align="left"><div><div style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">__</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br /><div class="node-header"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="submitted" style="font-size: medium;">Published on Thursday, August 29, 2013 by <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/">Common Dreams</a> </span> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">by <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/author/bruce-gagnon">Bruce Gagnon</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br /><div class="node-header"><div class="node-title"><h2 class="title"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/08/29-8">The Soul of Our Nation: War</a></span></span></h2></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><div class="node-content clear-block prose" style="font-size: large;"><div class="node-body"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This is how it works.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The US has been providing Egypt with nearly <a href="http://www.propublica.org/blog/item/f.a.q.-on-u.s.-aid-to-egypt-where-does-the-money-go-who-decides-how-spent" target="_blank">$2 billion a year in "aid"</a> since 1979.&nbsp; Most of this is military aid.&nbsp; That "aid" is then used to buy weapons from American corporations.&nbsp; So in reality most of US foreign aid becomes more welfare programs for the military industrial complex.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Because of current civil war conditions in Egypt the Obama team is having to hold off on providing more aid to that embattled nation.&nbsp; A recent Pew Research Center poll found that 51% of respondents said it's better to cut off military assistance to Egypt, while 26% backed continued aid.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The "aid" now on temporary hold would include: F-16 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin; M1A1 tanks from General Dynamics; and Apache attack helicopters made by Boeing Co.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><em>CBS News</em> reported on August 20: "The billion dollars in aid Congress approved for Egypt does not go directly to Cairo, it goes to places such as Archbald, Pennsylvania. The General Dynamics factory there makes parts for the M1A1 tank. General Dynamics is filling an order for 125 tank kits for the Egyptian Army.&nbsp; One-hundred-thirty people work at the Archbald facility."</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">You can imagine the workers at the Archbald facility want this "aid" to continue.&nbsp; Archbald Mayor Ed Fairbrother says the jobs are "extremely important" to the community. "They are some of the best jobs we have in the community," he says. "Those are the kinds of jobs that sustain communities and families."</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">There are 44 companies in Pennsylvania involved in production of the M1A1. The interesting thing is that Egypt does not need the tanks and many of the "kits" are still in crates after being delivered to their military.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">American communities have become addicted to war spending and military production. As most traditional manufacturing industry has moved overseas seeking cheaper labor the best jobs in most parts of the nation are building weapons.&nbsp; It's thus no coincidence that the #1 industrial export product of our nation is weapons.&nbsp; And what is our global marketing strategy for that product line? Hello Syria!</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">An attack on Syria will at the least expend lots of Tomahawk cruise missiles.&nbsp; When daddy Bush launched a cruise missile attack on Iraq in the early 1990's these missiles cost $1 million each.&nbsp; The Pentagon used 100 of them in the initial attack.&nbsp; McDonnell Douglas (now owned by Boeing Co.) had their factory in Titusville, Florida working round-the-clock to replace them.&nbsp; At the start of George W. Bush's attack on Iraq in 2003 it was the Tomahawk cruise missile fired again in the first salvos from the <em>USS Cowpens</em>. The ship is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser. The ship is named after the Battle of Cowpens, a major American victory near Cowpens, South Carolina, in the American Revolution. It was built at the Bath Iron Works shipyard in Maine, where I happen to live.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Years ago, speaking to a peace group here in Maine, I noticed a young woman in the audience with a look in her eyes that I immediately recognized.&nbsp; After the talk she hung around near my literature table, waiting until everyone but my partner and I were gone, before she approaching.&nbsp; She told us she was an Iraq War veteran.&nbsp; We had not had dinner yet so invited her to come along with us.&nbsp; Over the ensuing years we became like family with this wonderful former Navy Lieutenant who was the Officer of the Deck responsible for positioning the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Cowpens_%28CG-63%29" target="_blank">USS Cowpens</a> when it launched the very first Tomahawk cruise during "shock and awe" in 2003.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Today this young woman suffers from severe war trauma.&nbsp; She told us the story of seeing the series of missiles launch right before her eyes.&nbsp; After her shift was over she went below to see the crew watching a TV with images of a burning Baghdad.&nbsp; The crew was cheering.&nbsp; She was in a daze and stumbled to her bunk.&nbsp; At her first opportunity she got out of the Navy and today has a tough time functioning in the "real world".</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Today these same missiles&nbsp;cost up to $3 million each.&nbsp; So a similar attack on Syria will keep the factories humming back home.&nbsp; We've become a killer nation.&nbsp; We have to have endless war—like a drunk needs a drink at the bar—in order for American workers to put food on the tables for their families.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What does this say about the soul of our nation?</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><div class="copyright-info"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License</span></div><div class="clearfix user-profile" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #E7E7E7; margin-bottom: 20px;"><div class="author-wrapper"><div class="clearfix author-bio" style="border-top: 1px solid #E7E7E7; padding: 15px 0 20px 0;"><div class="author-image" style="float: left; padding: 1px 15px 15px 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="https://www.commondreams.org/author/bruce-gagnon"><img alt="Bruce Gagnon" class="imagecache imagecache-author_photo" height="126" src="https://www.commondreams.org/sites/commondreams.org/files/imagecache/author_photo/th_0.jpg" title="Bruce Gagnon" width="90" /></a> </span></div><div class="author-brief-article"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Bruce K. Gagnon is the coordinator of the <a href="http://www.space4peace.org/" target="_blank">Global Network Against Weapons &amp; Nuclear Power in Space</a> and a contributor to <a href="http://www.fpif.org/">Foreign Policy In Focus</a>. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:globalnet@mindspring.com">globalnet@mindspring.com</a>.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br /><div style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">__</span></div></div><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">__</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/09/01/which-syrian-chemical-attack-account-is-more-credible/">Which Syrian Chemical Attack Account Is More Credible?</a></span></div><div class="bodycontainer"><div class="maincontent"><div class="post-info">By <span class="author vcard"><span class="fn"><a href="http://www.fair.org/blog/author/jim-naureckas/" rel="author" title="Jim Naureckas">Jim Naureckas</a></span></span> </div>Let's compare a couple of accounts of the mass deaths apparently caused by chemical weapons in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta on August 21. One account comes from the U.S. government (<a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/08/30/government-assessment-syrian-government-s-use-chemical-weapons-august-21" target="_blank" title="White House: Government Assessment of the Syrian Government’s Use of Chemical Weapons on August 21, 2013">8/30/13</a>), introduced by Secretary of State John Kerry. The other was published by a Minnesota-based news site called <strong>Mint Press News</strong> (<a href="http://www.mintpressnews.com/witnesses-of-gas-attack-say-saudis-supplied-rebels-with-chemical-weapons/168135/" target="_blank" title="Mint Press: Syrians In Ghouta Claim Saudi-Supplied Rebels Behind Chemical Attack">8/29/13</a>).<br />The government account expresses "high confidence that the Syrian government carried out a chemical weapons attack" on August 21. The <strong>Mint </strong>report bore the headline "Syrians in Ghouta Claim Saudi-Supplied Rebels Behind Chemical Attack." Which of these two versions should we find more credible?<br />The U.S. government, of course, has a track record that will incline informed observers to approach its claims with skepticism–particularly when it's making charges about the proscribed weapons of official enemies. Kerry said in his <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Text-of-Kerry-statement-on-Syria-4775612.php" target="_blank" title="AP: Text of Kerry statement on Syria">address</a> that "our intelligence community" has been "more than mindful of the Iraq experience"–as should be anyone listening to Kerry's presentation, because the <a href="http://fair.org/press-release/a-failure-of-skepticism-in-powell-coverage/" title="Press Release: A Failure of Skepticism in Powell Coverage">Iraq experience</a> informs us that secretaries of State can express great confidence about matters that they are completely wrong about, and that U.S. intelligence assessments can be based on <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-schwarz/colin-powell-wmd-iraq-war_b_2624620.html" target="_blank" title="Huffington Post: Lie After Lie After Lie">distortion of evidence</a> and deliberate suppression of <a href="http://fair.org/take-action/media-advisories/star-witness-on-iraq-said-weapons-were-destroyed/" title="Media Advisory: Star Witness on Iraq Said Weapons Were Destroyed">contradictory facts</a>.<br /><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_26242" style="width: 210px;"><a class="cboxElement" href="http://www.fair.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/kerry.jpg" rel="lightbox[26239]" title="Which Syrian Chemical Attack Account Is More Credible?"><img alt="Secretary of State John Kerry making the case that Damascus has used chemical weapons (US State Department)" class="size-full wp-image-26242" height="145" src="http://www.fair.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/kerry.jpg" width="200" /></a><br /><div class="wp-caption-text">Secretary of State John Kerry making the case that Damascus has used chemical weapons (US State Department)</div></div>Comparing Kerry's presentation on Syria and its accompanying document to Colin Powell's <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/transcripts/powelltext_020503.html" target="_blank" title="Washington Post: 'A Policy of Evasion and Deception' ">speech</a> to the UN on Iraq, though, one is struck by how little specific evidence was included in the case for the Syrian government's use of chemical weapons. It gives the strong impression of being pieced together from drone surveillance and NSA intercepts, supplemented by <strong>Twitter</strong> messages and <strong>YouTube</strong> videos, rather than from on-the-ground reporting or human intelligence. Much of what is offered tries to establish that the victims in Ghouta had been exposed to chemical weapons–a question that indeed had been in <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.542849" target="_blank" title="Haaretz: Defense Minister: Assad used chemical weapons multiple times in Syria">some doubt</a>, but had already largely been settled by a <a href="http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/press/release.cfm?id=7029&amp;cat=press-release" target="_blank" title="MSF: Syria: Thousands Suffering Neurotoxic Symptoms Treated in Hospitals Supported by MSF - See more at: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/press/release.cfm?id=7029&amp;cat=press-release#sthash.33Tw00wF.dpuf">report</a> by Doctors Without Borders that reported that thousands of people in the Damascus area had been treated for "neurotoxic symptoms."<br /><a href="http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/09/01/which-syrian-chemical-attack-account-is-more-credible/">More</a><br />__<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://gowans.wordpress.com/2013/09/01/counter-questions-on-syria/">Counter-Questions on&nbsp;Syria</a></span><br /><div class="meta">Posted in <a href="http://gowans.wordpress.com/category/chemical-weapons/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Chemical Weapons">Chemical Weapons</a>, <a href="http://gowans.wordpress.com/category/syria/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Syria">Syria</a> by what's left on September 1, 2013 </div><div class="main">By Stephen Gowans<br />The US state is above international law, according to US president Barack Obama. In an <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/08/31/statement-president-syria">address</a> announcing that he was referring to the US Congress the decision to take military action against Syria, Obama declared that the United States needs to violate international law in order to enforce “the international system” and “international rules.” The international “<em>system</em>” and “<em>rules</em>” Obama referred to, which he apparently intended his audience to construe as “international <em>law</em>,” is not, in fact, international law, but rules Obama himself has unilaterally drawn up, and through rhetorical sleight of hand, attempted to pass off as international law. Yet, the very act Obama proposes—waging war on Syria without UN Security Council authorization, and to punish an act that, if there were hard evidence that it actually happened, would not be unlawful—is a flagrant violation of the authentic international system Obama deceptively claims he wishes to uphold. Obama has arrogated onto himself the powers and responsibilities of world ruler. He sets the rules, decides when they’re broken, and metes out the punishment.<br />The US president justified his self-elevation to the post of world emperor on moral grounds, arguing that the United States must punish heinous acts (though only those, real or imagined, of countries that are not US satellites; the heinous acts of satellite countries are allowed to continue with impunity, and often, US assistance.) In his <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/08/31/statement-president-syria">statement</a>, he asked:<br />• What message will we send if a dictator can gas hundreds of children to death in plain sight and pay no price?<br />• What’s the purpose of the international system that we’ve built if a prohibition on the use of chemical weapons that has been agreed to by the governments of 98 percent of the world’s people…is not enforced?<br />• If we won’t enforce accountability in the face of this heinous act, what does it say about our resolve to stand up to others who flout fundamental international rules? To governments who would choose to build nuclear arms? To terrorists who would spread biological weapons? To armies who carry out genocide?<br />Laying aside the realities that: there is no hard evidence that the Syrian president was behind the heinous act and that it seems more likely that the opposition, Washington’s ally, was; that appointing to himself the moral duty to punish the perpetrator is rather rich coming from the leader of a country that has authored multiple heinous acts around the globe—and on an infinitely grander scale; that the agreement of other governments not to use chemical weapons has no relevance to what goes on within Syria, which has not signed onto international conventions against the weapons’ use (and neither have US allies Egypt and Israel); we might put these counter-questions to ourselves:<br />• What message will we, the world’s 99 percent, send if a president can autocratically appoint to himself the right bomb other countries without justification and without legitimate authority, and pay no price?<br />• What’s the purpose of the international system if a prohibition on the unlawful use of force that has been agreed to by the governments of 100 percent of the world’s people (the UN Charter) is ignored with impunity?<br />• If we, the 99 percent, won’t enforce accountability in the face of this act of aggression against Syria, which is to be carried out in brazen defiance of the international system, what does it say about our resolve to stand up to others who flout fundamental international rules? To a country that threatens non-nuclear countries with nuclear arms (as the United States does, reserving the right of first-strike against any country)? To a government which terrorizes civilians through bombing raids, “shock and awe” and drone attacks? To states that carry out genocide through sanctions of mass destruction (as the United States did in Iraq)?<br />Not only is Washington willing to brush aside international law when the UN Charter gets in the way of its foreign policy interests, it is also willing to toss evidence, reason and logic aside when they threaten its pretexts for war. Apropos of this, see counter-hegemonist Amal Saad-Ghorayeb’s 10 simple guidelines for ensuring methodological rigor, as inspired by US officials, <a href="http://resistance-episteme.tumblr.com/post/59806292568/10-lessons-on-methodology-from-the-us-war-on-syria">here</a>.&nbsp;</div>__<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.infowars.com/exclusive-syrians-in-ghouta-claim-saudi-supplied-rebels-behind-chemical-attack/print/">EXCLUSIVE: Syrians In Ghouta Claim Saudi-Supplied Rebels Behind Chemical Attack</a></span><br />Dale Gavlak and Yahya Ababneh <br /><br />Mint Press News <br />August 30, 2013 <br />This article is a collaboration between Dale Gavlak reporting for Mint Press News (also of the Associated Press) and Yahya Ababneh. <br /><br />Ghouta, Syria — As the machinery for a U.S.-led military intervention in Syria gathers pace <br />following last week’s chemical weapons attack, the U.S. and its allies may be targeting the wrong culprit.</div>The U.S. and others are not interested in examining any contrary evidence, with U.S Secretary of State John Kerry sayingMonday that Assad’s guilt was “a judgment … already clear to the world.” <br />However, from numerous interviews with doctors, Ghouta residents, rebel fighters and their families, a different picture emerges. Many believe that certain rebels received chemical weapons via the Saudi intelligence chief, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, and were responsible for carrying out the dealing gas attack.<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></div></div></div></div>__<br /><span class="submitted">Published on Wednesday, September 4, 2013 by <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/">Common Dreams</a> </span> <br /><div class="node-title"><h2 class="title"><a href="http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/09/04-0">Putin Calls Out US for Legacy of Faulty Pre-War Intelligence</a></h2></div><h3 class="subtitle">Russian president says that if Obama is so convinced of Syria's guilt he should bring evidence to the UN</h3><h3 class="subtitle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">- Jon Queally, staff writer &nbsp;&nbsp;</span></h3><div class="author">Russian President Vladimir Putin said the U.S. claims about Syria's use of chemical weapons are 'absolutely absurd' and said that if quality evidence does exist it should be brought to the U.N. Security Council and be debated before the international community.<br />"If there are data that the chemical weapons have been used, and used specifically by the regular army, this evidence should be submitted to the U.N. Security Council," said Putin in <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ap-interview-putin-warns-west-syria-action">a joint interview</a> with the Associated Press and Russia's state Channel 1 television. "And it ought to be convincing. It shouldn't be based on some rumors and information obtained by special services through some kind of eavesdropping, some conversations and things like that." . . . .</div><div class="author">_____</div><div class="author"><br /></div><br /><br />http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/what-is-deeper-context-of-syrian.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-6796327315695237110Sat, 31 Aug 2013 20:02:00 +00002013-09-03T16:42:49.280-07:00Baker City CouncilBaker City Oregoncattle grazingCouncil/Staff relationsCOWSCryptosporidiumDrinking WateretiquetteincompetencePublic Works DirectorScenic VistaWater QualityPart 2--Thoughts about the Council Work Session of August 29, 3013<br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">[Edited previous post and split it into two parts, added material about the 2004 forced resignation of Public Works Director Dick Fleming to the end of this part, 8/31/13. Again, if the YouTube videos don't play, just click on the link above them. Updated 9/2/13 &amp; 9/3/13]</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Councilor Dorrah did a good job of getting the Council to focus momentarily on need to keep cows out of the watershed in order to protect our drinking water and exemption from filtration, but here's the problem. A few Councilors called the meeting, not to address the problem of cows in the watershed, not to solve how we got into a crisis that has caused Baker City to endure hundreds of illnesses and serious financial pain, not to talk about how staff has kept information about so many relevant and pressing problems from us, not to talk about the apparent lack of qualifications held by any staff member, or their incompetence in protecting our watershed over the last several years, but apparently only to talk about how some Councilors are uncomfortable about how other Councilors refer to staff when speaking or writing about the problem.</span></div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This video contains the gist of that self-righteous discussion, which took up an almost unendurable portion of the meeting:</span></div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://youtu.be/hn_QL9hZmcg">Baker City Council Avoids issues--Button Lectures Council on Their Behavior082913&nbsp;</a></span></div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hn_QL9hZmcg?list=UUWlkNNo8gSKekydHmg9pJ-Q" width="560"></iframe></div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">After the meeting, I told Council that my opinion was:</span></div></div><div><blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Anyway, I&nbsp; appreciated Dennis' reporting to the Council what he found and did about it , otherwise the meeting WOULD HAVE BEEN A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME!<br /><br />Guess what--Council etiquette on intra-Council emails ISN'T THE PROBLEM. Don't make yourselves the issue! YOU'RE NOT! hate to watch Councilors of equal station lecture each other on their values and tell others how to act, while completely ignoring a major problem--The staff doesn't tell you what you need to know and they are not taking care of business. If everyone just keeps on being polite to each other, after a three year record of incompetence, the citizens are going to get screwed again!&nbsp;&nbsp; The problem is not Council etiquette on email, the problem is that Public Works is not communicating with upper staff and Council, the Public works Director should still be a secretary and be replaced by an engineer, and that specifically, PW didn't tell Council twice about major problems in the watershed.&nbsp; ENOUGH ALREADY!<br /><br />BIG PS<br />The Council is elected by the&nbsp;<u>people</u>&nbsp;to take care of the problem for the&nbsp;<u>people</u>, not to serve the sensibilities of staff and sensitive Councilors.<br />Yes, I'm frustrated, and I think others are too.</span></i></div></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">[More background: Section X(B) of the <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/163355104/1991-Watershed-Management-Plan-for-Baker-City-Oregon">Baker City Watershed Management Plan</a> states:</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">B) Personnel Education/Experience:<br /> <br />(1) Minimum education of key personnel in Watershed Management:<br /> <br />(a) Director of Public Works minimum qualifications: Graduation from a four&nbsp;year college or university with specialization in civil engineering and three&nbsp;years of progressive responsible professional experience in public works&nbsp;administration including supervisory capacity; or any combination of&nbsp;experience and education that demonstrates provision of the knowledge, skills,&nbsp;and abilities listed above.</span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Additionally, please view this <a href="http://youtu.be/B_87L4OioJ0">YouTube video</a> which shows Mayor Langrell discussing the need to keep cattle out of the watershed and the fact that he had just learned that morning that Public Works was supposed to build a new fence back in the spring of 2012 to keep the cattle out and was wondering if they might want to move that up in their priorities. Here's the link:</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://youtu.be/B_87L4OioJ0">8:27:13 Baker City Council Meeting--Mayor Langrell on cattle fence that was not not built&nbsp;</a>]</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-47muvf6qliA/UiTt7OqnRuI/AAAAAAAAB8s/zK94kltwEA8/s1600/Michelle+Owen+responding+to+Mayor+on+unbuilt+cattle+fence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-47muvf6qliA/UiTt7OqnRuI/AAAAAAAAB8s/zK94kltwEA8/s320/Michelle+Owen+responding+to+Mayor+on+unbuilt+cattle+fence.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Michelle Owen responding to Mayor on unbuilt cattle fence<br /><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Now Back to Councilor Button's response:</span></div><div><blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>What you missed, Chris, was that we asked for the meeting to discuss council activities that were happening behind the screen of privacy.&nbsp; At various times, individual councilors (who were most likely communicating among themselves) have been conducting policy without the consent or approval of a majority.&nbsp; We either have representative democracy or we don't.&nbsp; Looking out for the "people" includes preserving our form of government.&nbsp; If an individual or a minority can inflict major change on the administration of government without the knowledge of the public, then we would be accused of dishonesty or being asleep at the wheel.&nbsp; Minority rule is not acceptable.</i>&nbsp;</span></div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>Some of us believe that the affect of losing our city manager and some primary staff right now would be a serious setback to the progress of what we can accomplish in the next year.&nbsp; It would be a huge diversion from focus on solving our immediate crisis, and could spark another year or two of community conflict. &nbsp; Worse, it would be a setback to the proper function and rule of government. We are trying to get beyond political manipulation to an era of cooperation between reasonable and honest council members who put the community above personal animosities and power politics.&nbsp; It is not just about feelings, but about your rights as a citizen to expect all members of government to respect the law and process of representative democracy.</i>&nbsp;</span></div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I think the cryptosporidium crisis is being used for political purposes, and the process of minority rule was kicked into gear months ago. What you saw was a polite attempt to speak reason to all parties without being part of the polarization and factionalism that is growing once again.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Some times you have to fight two or more battles at once when that is forced upon you. The interconnections are not always clear, but it is debilitating and distracting from unity of purpose. Some times, the right thing to do is to fight with one hand tied behind your back to set the example you want others to follow.&nbsp; The bottom line holds. Minority rule is not acceptable.&nbsp; We are not a dictatorship, and all parties owe it to the public to be open and honest about what they are doing.&nbsp; Others can pretend they do not know why we called the meeting.&nbsp; They can continue to hide what they have been doing.&nbsp; If they succeed, we all bear the consequences.&nbsp;</span></i></div></blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">My opinion in response was:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Clair, I appreciate that you have responded, but without any specifics, it is impossible for me to evaluate your argument.&nbsp;</span></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">How are individuals or a small minority "conducting policy without the consent or approval of a majority?"&nbsp; What minority rule?&nbsp; Nothing has changed, there has been no open discussion of the role of staff in helping to create the crisis and current predicament, let alone holding anyone accountable. If anything has been consistently hidden, it is accountability.&nbsp;</span></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">What "major change on the administration of government" has been afflicted?&nbsp; You won't even address the incredible communication problems that have kept Council and the public they are supposed to represent in the dark for three years. Again, Nothing has changed.&nbsp;</span></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I for one would not call for a change in City Manager, but it seems clear that the Public Works Director and one of her staff members bear a good deal of responsibility for our incredibly serious crypto crisis due to their failure to communicate known problems to the City Manager (either that, or Kee is a liar), Council and public for three years and for a negligently lackadaisical attitude. You, the rest of the Council, and Mike should have also known that the Public Works Director was unqualified [by the standards of the Watershed Management Plan when she was put in that position] to serve in that position and she has overseen&nbsp; three years of incompetent response to a serious threat. Would you like to characterize my concerns as political?&nbsp; Look at the facts.&nbsp; Not only that, why don't you start talking about the facts instead of diverting attention to some conspiracy of political manipulation?<br /><br />No one is indispensable and there are backup certified personnel in the water department as well as an engineer on staff. This problem started when Gilham got rid of a good engineer and put Tim "Scenic Vista" Collins in charge and then Gilham's secretary, Owen, replaced Collins.&nbsp; For the Council not to rectify the situation by suggesting changes in staff, after the damage that has been done to our community, would be akin to criminal negligence. Mike Kee wasn't elected, Council was, and they can replace him if he doesn't correct a situation that led to the Crypto Crisis.</span></div></blockquote></div></div><div class="yj6qo ajU"><div aria-label="Show trimmed content" class="ajR" data-tooltip="Show trimmed content" id=":16t" role="button" tabindex="0"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I haven't received a response from Councilor Button, but Councilor Dorrah noted that:</span></div></div><div aria-label="Show trimmed content" class="ajR" data-tooltip="Show trimmed content" id=":16t" role="button" tabindex="0"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">not only are we not supposed to voice negative opinions publicly or by email, we are not to voice them directly either.&nbsp;</span></i></div></blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sounds like the classic dysfunctional family to me.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="yj6qo ajU"><div aria-label="Show trimmed content" class="ajR" data-tooltip="Show trimmed content" id=":1gs" role="button" tabindex="0"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img class="ajT" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gif" style="cursor: move;" /></div></div></div></div><div aria-label="Show trimmed content" class="ajR" data-tooltip="Show trimmed content" id=":16t" role="button" tabindex="0"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">OK, so I'll never get a response from a Councilor again. Well, they don't normally respond anyway, and I thought it would provide a needed window into what was &nbsp;going on. &nbsp;Their votes, and statements at Council meetings are quite revealing enough in any event. If one becomes a Councilor, they should know that their views should properly be open to all their constituents. After all, as Councilor Button might say, we wouldn't want anything to occur "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>behind the screen of privacy."</i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>__</i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">All the handwringing about a possible shakeup in Public Works seems a little odd when you contrast it with the forced resignation (more like a summary execution) of Public Works Director Dick Fleming back in April of 2004.</span></div></div><div aria-label="Show trimmed content" class="ajR" data-tooltip="Show trimmed content" id=":16t" role="button" tabindex="0"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img class="ajT" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gif" style="cursor: move;" /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hfzbUvzxKUo/UiIsHhJZu5I/AAAAAAAAB8c/8furBMPnRSQ/s1600/Headliine-PW+Director+Resigns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hfzbUvzxKUo/UiIsHhJZu5I/AAAAAAAAB8c/8furBMPnRSQ/s320/Headliine-PW+Director+Resigns.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="201" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The April 5, 2004 Baker City Herald article quotes Fleming as saying "I did not receive any explanation" I really don't know" when asked why City Manager Gilham asked him to resign.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In addition to cutting the city's payroll, Gilham told the Baker City Herald at the time that:</span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"Gillham said he sought Fleming's resignation "not so&nbsp;much for performance reasons&nbsp;as work style:<br />"I like to move at a more aggressive pace, to see more action in certain areas"</span></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Gilham said he was comfortable&nbsp;moving Collins into&nbsp;the public works job because&nbsp;he believes the job requires management&nbsp;skills, but not necessarily&nbsp;technical ones.</span></div></blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">&nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Say what? So he gets rid of an engineer as Public Works Director, which is what the <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/163355104/1991-Watershed-Management-Plan-for-Baker-City-Oregon">Watershed Plan</a> asks for, and puts then City Attorney Tim Collins in charge? About two years later, Michelle Owen, who I am told had worked for the city in secretarial positions for three years, lastly as City Recorder, was appointed Director of Public Works. I was also told that prior to that she was a checker at Albertsons. &nbsp;Unfortunately, Ms. Owen's professional and educational qualifications pertaining to civil engineering, and any certifications, do not turn up in any of the annual watershed reports, as required.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">While Mr. Gilham gave some rather odd reasons for his summary execution of Dick Fleming, I have heard that it may have had something to do with a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/164498594/042103-Letter-From-Dick-Fleming-on-Scenic-Vista">letter he sent to Scenic Vista developer Steven Jones almost a year earlier</a>.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In the April 21, 2003 letter from then Baker City Public Works Director Dick Flaming to Scenic Vista developer Steven Jones, Fleming detailed problems he had with the construction of the Scenic Vista water tanks and other aspects of agreements between the developer and the city.<br /><br />The City Attorney at the time, Tim Collins, went ahead and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/164504628/073103-Tim-Collins-Accepts-Scenic-Vista">accepted the improvements</a>&nbsp;in the subdivision, including the water tanks, a little over three months later, on July 31, 2003. This act made Baker City responsible for the tanks that the state and Mr. Fleming had problems with.<br /><br />Mr. Fleming was asked to resign less that a year later, April 2004, by then City Manager Jerry Gilham.<br /><br />Mr. Tim Collins has had a home in the very small (7 homes?) subdivision for about 6 years, and in 2012, the city was forced to pay to replace and upgrade the faulty tanks to the tune of nearly $200,000.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One last item.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">&nbsp;the <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/164936836/2010-Baker-City-Watershed-Management-Report">2010 Watershed Management Report</a>, dated September 29, 2010, Water Supervisor Larry McBroom wrote that:</span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In accordance with EPA and DHS, the City is currently sampling raw surface water for Cryptosporidium and Giardia for the long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Treatment Rule. As of this date, lab reports are all negative for Crypto and Giardia.&nbsp;</span></i></div></blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We learned later that crypto had been found in the Baker City Water supply as early as April of 2010. If he didn't know about the positive test, who did?</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">_____</span></div></div></div>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/thoughts-about-council-work-session-of_31.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-1420714167915747127Sat, 31 Aug 2013 08:52:00 +00002013-08-31T13:10:54.392-07:00Baker City CouncilBaker City Cryptosporidium crisisBaker City Oregoncattle grazingCouncil/Staff relationsCOWSDrinking WateretiquetteincompetenceWater QualityPart 1--Thoughts about the Council Work Session of August 29, 3013<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">[Edited and split into two parts, added material about the 2004 forced resignation of Public Works Director Dick Fleming to <a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/thoughts-about-council-work-session-of_31.html">Part 2</a>, 8/31/13. Again, if the YouTube videos don't play, just click on the link above them.]</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Councilor Dorrah says he found more cows in the watershed yesterday, a day after Thursday's Council Work Session where he informed staff and Council that cows were still getting in, but hey, who cares. . . . . After all, Don Foster, the relevant rancher/permittee, assured us in a <a href="http://www.bakercityherald.com/Letters/Letters-to-the-Editor-for-Aug-28-2013">letter to the editor in the Baker City Herald</a> on August 28, 2013 that:</span><br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">"These are three-wire drift fences designed so game can jump then, but good enough to turn cattle. Maintenance is not the responsibility of the city or the Forest Service. It is the responsibility of the permittee — yours truly — who grazes the cattle. Being responsible for the fence maintenance, as well as the cattle grazing, I can tell you this: The fencing was done. The cattle, during the time of this crypto outbreak, were in the California Gulch pasture. They are now in the Blue Canyon/Auburn area with some that have drifted north to Elk Creek. While three pair did briefly enter the watershed last week below the diversion they were removed quickly since when I got the call I was nearby and horseback. The fence where they entered was fixed immediately. I have what I consider a good relationship with the city water folks. If they see cattle, or signs of cattle, I respond as soon as possible. &nbsp;. . . .</span><span class="s2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">My family takes our ranch duties and work seriously.</span>"</span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Too bad the city rarely informs the Forest Service of cattle trespass on the watershed, with whom we are told they also have a "good relationship."</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Council work session agenda of August 29, 2013 states under item 3, that the sole purpose was a "Discussion of Council/Staff Relations. I was under the impression that the subject might have something to do with the fact that city staff has seemingly, according to council videos, minutes and personal emails, repeatedly, over a three year period, not reported important facts to the Council, the City Manager, or the public. &nbsp;I thought that their lack of communication within that apparent relationship, including not informing Council and the public for over a year (March 2010 to November 2011) about the fact that crypto had been found in our water, that they had known since at least 2011 that cows were gaining entry into our watershed, that we were supposed to have a fence installed in in the watershed by the spring of 2012, and that City Manager Kee said he didn't know on August 15, 2013 whether cows had been in our watershed, might be a matter of discussion. &nbsp;How wrong I was!</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Thankfully, Councilor Dennid Dorrah stepped up at the beginning of the meeting to tell Council that during his visits to the watershed over the last week, cows were still in the watershed, in the pasture they were not scheduled to be in, and that the fence to keep them out was in deplorable condition. He actually went up there with his own materials and labor to try to repair the fence during that time to try and keep them out. This after city staff, the Forest Service, and the permittee were informed of the problem!</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Here is his presentation, part one:</span><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/ObCDQsccvEA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Councilor Dorrah on Cows He Found In &amp; next to the Watershed 083013</span></a><br /><div style="color: #1e33ee; font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><br /></div><div style="color: #1e33ee; font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ObCDQsccvEA" width="420"></iframe></span></div><div><u><br /></u></div><div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">In the video above, Councilor Dennis Dorrah shares information with Council about trips he took this last week to the Elk Creek area of the Baker City Watershed. He relates that even after recent events showing that cows were getting into the watershed that cows are STILL getting in through a poorly maintained fence, are still in the pasture adjacent to the watershed where they are not supposed to be, and that he counted 19 cows in the wrong pasture next to the watershed. On his own initiative, he took fencing materials up to repair a section of leaky fence that runs for about a hundred yards east of the allotment fence gate. His investigation revealed a calf in the allotment (calves are more likely to carry Cryptosporidium parvum which can cause human disease when it gets into the water supply) and then asked for immediate action to put in a good fence in place to keep cows out of the watershed so that we do not face the possibility of another drinking water crisis next spring or summer. He reminded everyone that keeping our water filtration exemption depends upon us making every effort to keep cattle out of the watershed.</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">He also provided Council with photographs of the fence where he says cows could and did gain access, a photo of two cow/calf pairs just outside the watershed after a calf came back out, and a photo of the repairs he had made:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tcpxHb1LPEs/UiF_PUm-32I/AAAAAAAAB70/jA-9qBNbbY8/s1600/DorrahCowCalfFence3lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tcpxHb1LPEs/UiF_PUm-32I/AAAAAAAAB70/jA-9qBNbbY8/s640/DorrahCowCalfFence3lg.jpg" width="451" /></a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is the place where Councilor Dorrah said the calf got in and got out. He noted the lower wire is anywhere from 26 to 36 inches above the ground, and will raise higher when an animal goes underneath. Note bent lower wires.</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tFjs1jRUgMU/UiGCS-CRmpI/AAAAAAAAB8A/0futQ9puyAI/s1600/Cows+near+watershed+fence2-LGcl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tFjs1jRUgMU/UiGCS-CRmpI/AAAAAAAAB8A/0futQ9puyAI/s400/Cows+near+watershed+fence2-LGcl.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Cows near watershed fence.<br />There are two cows and two calves outside the watershed fence in this grainy closeup picture. Councilor Dorrah reported that one of the calves was inside the watershed originally, but when he went down to run him out, he charged back to mama who was outside the watershed fence.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">A portion of fence that Councilor Dorrah repaired with new fence posts and wire:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uKHya9fOFHM/UiGDxHiRh7I/AAAAAAAAB8M/9iDlzbSv1wM/s1600/DorrahRepairedCowFence1-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uKHya9fOFHM/UiGDxHiRh7I/AAAAAAAAB8M/9iDlzbSv1wM/s320/DorrahRepairedCowFence1-lg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>Councilor Dorrah described this as "an area where cattle WERE crossing. The top wire WAS twenty-six inches above the ground. I, with a helper, put in four posts and ran two new strands of barbed wire above the existing fence (which I was able to raise some on the new posts). It held pretty good.....bent but not broken when cattle tried to cross there at their favorite spot."</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Council then responded to Councilor Dorrah's concerns in the following video (description just below video):</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://youtu.be/a_v64XI_jZ8">Councilor Dorrah on Cows in Watershed Part 2 with Council &amp; Staff Response 082913 </a></span><br /><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/a_v64XI_jZ8" width="420"></iframe></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Council responds to Councilor Dennis Dorrah's request for quick action on building a new fence to protect watershed from trespass cattle. &nbsp;City Manager Kee informs Council that most recent results were received and that they are negative for crypto.&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">My questions from an earlier</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/some-cryptic-aspects-of-crypto-outbreak_26.html">blog</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">are:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">&nbsp;</span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>Why weren't City Manager Kee, the Councilors, and the citizens of Baker City more aware of the fact &nbsp;that Public Works Department personnel have known about cows getting into the watershed for over two years? Why didn't we know that the Department of Public works told the state Drinking Water Program on November 18, 2011, less than two weeks after we were told about the crypto in our water supply, that:</i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"In order to better protect the Elk Creek Diversion Intake we will be constructing new fence next spring [Spring of 2012--over a year ago] along the boundaries of the city owned 40 acre parcel. The new fencing will prevent any livestock from entering into the city property.</span></i>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Similarly, why weren't we all, including City Manager Mike Kee, informed early on that the Watershed Management report from March 4, 2013 stated:&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"Also the City has purchased materials to construct a barb wire fence around 40 acres of City owned land surrounding the Elk Creek Diversion. This fence will provide a barrier for cattle ranging in the close proximity. Currently there is a meandering range allotment fence that extends for miles. This fence protects the Elk Creek Watershed and is in good repair most of the time, but there have been incidents where cattle have found their way to the wrong side of the fence. The new fence will protect the diversion and approximately 1/4 mile ofthe Elk Creek riparian zone from stray cattle." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The promised fence was never built. So, given that safe drinking water is of fundamental importance to the healthy functioning and economic prosperity of a city, and given that Public Works knew that cows were regularly trespassing on the watershed around Elk Creek, why wasn't the plan to build that fence in the spring of 2012 followed? &nbsp;I was told by a person at the state level that "the fencing project was not undertaken due to time/manpower limitations." Well, during that time, our resources in time and manpower were being spent on expanding the irrigation pond at the golf course and on Resort Street under-grounding of utilities. (See the Weekly Reports for the period in question.)&nbsp;</span></i></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">To continue the description of the discussion in the above video: During this Council session, City Manager Mike Kee tells Council that: "We had a meeting with the Forest Service yesterday and talked about allotments, uh, to see what we can do, and it's not that cattle can't be in there now, it's that the Ranger has the discretion to put cattle on any of the allotments--it's all up to the Ranger--and the Ranger doesn't have any concern that those cattle are on the allotment [that is not the impression I got from talking to Wallowa-Whitman range supervisors, maybe he/she didn't have concerns about cattle being on the allotment, but he/she did have concerns about them being in the wrong pasture.] . . . . and [garbled] I don't think it is as immediate as ah Councilor Dorrah--. . . but, so uh I didn't answer the question. . . . uh, if it's thousands of dollars to build a new fence . . . we'll just divert the money to build a new fence." &nbsp;After more talk, Councilor Dorrah says "Well, again, my issue is, we've gotta get the cattle out of there now . . . period. &nbsp;And I think there is something to be said for having some fence in place, . . . ." Mike Kee says there has been talk with the epidemiologists of picking up some of the cow pies along the creek. &nbsp;It goes on, and on, but Councilor Button says about the fence that there is no "ironclad guarantee that cattle won't get through it." Couldn't agree more, but we need to try.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It is worth noting that when Councilor Dorrah went down to repair fence again the day after this discussion, that he heard several cows bellowing inside the watershed down near the Elk Creek diversion, which, thankfully, is not currently being used. He patched three more sections of fence (three posts, one each between existing posts), but believes it is "an exercise in futility." "The worst WAS the fifty feet between posts and he could lift the bottom wire four feet above the ground and push top wire down to two feet above the ground." "Definitely need a little more than some maintenance up there."</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">[See part 2 <a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/thoughts-about-council-work-session-of_31.html">here</a>.&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1b0431; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/thoughts-about-council-work-session-of_31.html">Part 2--Thoughts about the Council Work Session of August 29, 3013</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">]</span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">_____</span></div>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/thoughts-about-council-work-session-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-2508435808640353101Thu, 29 Aug 2013 05:38:00 +00002013-08-30T11:48:39.900-07:00"Humanitarian Intervention"American Foreign PolicydishonestydominationhypocrisyImperialismInternational LawSyriaUNAre the Perennial Pinocchios of the Corporate Military State Ginning Up Another War Crime?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aPolonTp5zM/Uh7BRhei3HI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/CetLmyIHcew/s1600/*Pinocchio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aPolonTp5zM/Uh7BRhei3HI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/CetLmyIHcew/s1600/*Pinocchio.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">[Edited 8/29/13]</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Is it Deja Vu all over again?</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The mainstream media has been busily reporting the opinions of any Syria war hawk they can get their hands on to repeat every sort of wildly unsupported claim by government sources stating that Syria has gassed their own people, and that so-called "humanitarian intervention" is legal under international law. We recall that while it is forbidden for Syria to defend itself against Saudi, Qatari, Jordanian, Turkish, and western supported extremist rebels fighting alongside of al Qaeda in a sectarian civil war, it is apparently just fine for the Egyptian military and police forces to shoot down a thousand peaceful Muslim Brotherhood protestors in cold-blood on the streets of Cairo. Ditto for Bahrain and the other Arab <u>Monarchies</u> we support.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Talk of the "International Community" in the mainstream media (like NBC, CNN, NPR and the like), a term which really&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">just</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">means the US and some colonial Western European countries (certainly not including the large and populous countries of Russia, China, Iran the rest of Asia, and the many countries in Africa or South America), actually being representative of world opinion is as bogus as the three dollar bill. And while the media is sorely interested in whether the militaristic US corporate surveillance state (can you say neoFascist?) will find support from Israel and Western European "allies," they rarely mention whether our government has the support of the American public, which it appears they do not have. After all, with the earnest help of the mainstream media, our government has time and time again lied us into foreign adventures that we ultimately do not support, but which we have to pay for in blood, money, or both. As <a href="http://youtu.be/acLW1vFO-2Q">George Carlin said</a>, they don't give a shit about you--they don't care about you. "But nobody seems to notice, nobody seems to care."</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">So the Obama administration <a href="http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2013/08/213503.htm">comments, from "war hero" Secretary of State John Kerry</a>&nbsp;have been presented as saying that the US believes that Syria used chemical weapons. My reading of the statement does not indicate that he actually said that. However, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/27/politics/us-syria/index.html">Jay Carney said on CNN</a> that there is little doubt that the Syrian regime was responsible, and that&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">"Allowing the use of chemical weapons on a significant scale to take place without a response would present a significant challenge to or threat to the United States' national security," What threat to national security would that be? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">He also promised that the Obama administration would release "a US intelligence report" later this week. Say what? OK, we are going to attack but the evidence will have to wait? Something like Colin Powell's address to the UN establishing that Iraq had WMD which turned out to be false? Hell, the mainstream media has all but insisted that Syria is responsible and that to protect our "credibility" about "red lines" we will attack in response, even without scrutinizable evidence. Credibility?</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">[Update 8/29/13: &nbsp;On Tueday the PBS <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/">"Newshour"</a> featured these links, all of which tend to support a strike, except for the part about Americans being wary, which confused the issue by showing a photo of a child <u>supporting</u> intervention:</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"></span><br /><div id="story"><h6 class="section-indicator"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/news/syria_protest/index.html">SYRIA'S CIVIL WAR</a> | ANALYSIS</span></h6><h1><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/world/july-dec13/syria2_08-27.html">White House Debates Best Way to Punish, Prevent Syrian Chemical Arms Use</a></span></h1><div class="blurb-no-photo"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">If the U.S. doesn't wait for the U.N. to finish inspecting the alleged chemical weapons attack site in Syria before taking action, it may still rely on those findings in building an international case. Margaret Warner joins Judy Woodruff to discuss how the White House continues to consult allies and consider military action.</span><br /><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">UPDATE: <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/world/july-dec13/syria1_08-27.html">U.S. Military 'Ready to Go,' Assad Warns Strike Would Be 'Failure'</a></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">ANALYSIS: <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/world/july-dec13/syria2_08-26.html">Action Against Syria Might Reinforce Taboo of Chemical Warfare</a></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">BLOG: <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/08/americans-wary-of-syria-intervention.html">Americans Wary of Syria Intervention</a></span></li></ul></div></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">On Wednesday night, President Obama appeared on the show, saying that the administration has concluded that Syria is responsible for the attack, but then follows with a big "if" i.e., "if that's so" then "consequences." The administration seems to be purposefully giving out mixed signals. Did Syria do it or didn't they?</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>We have looked at all the evidence, and we do not believe the opposition possessed nuclear weapons of that—or, chemical weapons of that sort. We do not believe that given the delivery systems, using rockets, that the opposition could have carried out these attacks. We have concluded that the Syrian government, in fact, carried these out. <u>And if that’s so</u>, then there need to be international consequences. So, we are consulting with our allies. We’re consulting with the international community. And, you know, I have no interest in any kind of open-ended conflict in Syria, but we do have to make sure that when countries break international norms on weapons like chemical weapons that could threaten us, that they are held accountable. </i>[Emphasis added]</span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Looks like he's covering all the bases. End update]</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">CNN also reported that "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Vice President Joe Biden made clear the administration's view of who was to blame, telling the American Legion that "there is no doubt who is responsible for the heinous use of chemical weapons -- the Syrian regime" and that Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel says "we're ready to go."</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">CNN followed up with an <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/28/opinion/garrett-syria-sarin-gas/index.html?eref=igoogledmn_topstories">OP-ED by&nbsp;</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/28/opinion/garrett-syria-sarin-gas/index.html?eref=igoogledmn_topstories">Laurie Garrett</a>, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations and a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">&nbsp;stating:</span></span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>This week, the world is learning that on August 21, Syria's Assad regime attacked civilians living on the outskirts of Damascus, <a href="http://www.msf.org/article/syria-thousands-suffering-neurotoxic-symptoms-treated-hospitals-supported-msf" target="_blank">killing at least 355 of them</a>, including many small children. According to Vice President Joe Biden, there is "no doubt" that chemical weapons were used by the regime -- and not, as the Assad government has claimed, by rebel forces.</i></span></blockquote><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">NPRs John Hockenberry, on his 8/28/13 "The Takeaway" program (<a href="http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/audio.wnyc.org/takeaway/takeaway082813-syria.mp3">download link</a>), one of the more dependably propagandistic of the NPR offerings, offered us two former government officials, <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Volker">Kurt Volker</a></b>, a former CIA analyst, former&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">staff member for&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">warmonger John McCain, McCain Institute employee, investment bank lobbyist, and United States Permanent Representative to NATO, as well as <b>Phyllis E. Oakley</b>, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State. No sources that would argue the case against an attack on Syria, of course! Volker presented a completely false analysis for a "substantial response" that included "to deter the future use of chemical weapons" and a defense of the phony "humanitarian" concept of the "responsibility to protect" as being legal under international law, an argument which simply provides cover for reckless inhumane killing and destruction under the illegal model of the unjustified NATO wars on Serbia and Libya. The message was that international law really didn't matter if the US and their European allies think they would like to attack any country they disagree with, even if they don't present convincing evidence of actual threat, need, legality or national interest.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">When one considers the unnecessary wars and attacks we have inflicted on other nations we disagree with, and who do not submit to our dictates, I often consider the costs in terms of blood and treasure. Aside from the moral questions of the loss of innocent lives and reducing countries to a subsistence level of living within the rubble, one needs to think about what we have actually gained from our aggression and how those resources spent on war could have been put to productive use at home. "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruise_missile">a single Tomahawk cruise missile costs US$1,410,000</a>." Three of them could provide Baker City with a modern UV water treatment facility. <a href="http://www.informationdissemination.net/">During the war on Libya&nbsp;</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.informationdissemination.net/">alone&nbsp;</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.informationdissemination.net/">(didn't that turn out great!) we used at least 161 of them. The Navy alone purchases 195 of them every year.</a>&nbsp;(One suspects that they need to burn up a number of cruise missiles every year to keep the "defense" industries humming for the elite stockholders.)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Fortunately, we don't have to rely on NPR, NBC, CNN, and etc. for good information about the Syrian civil war because we have the internet.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Here are a few articles questioning the narrative that has been presented by the mainstream media.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The articles by Stephen Gowans are full of logic (god forbid) and fairly comprehensive (See also the links within the article):</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://gowans.wordpress.com/2013/08/28/never-mind-whether-obamas-red-line-has-been-crossed-is-it-even-legitimate/">Never Mind Whether Obama’s Red Line Has Been Crossed—Is It Even Legitimate? </a></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">August 28, 2013</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">By Stephen Gowans</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">US officials say they’re convinced that the Syrian government gassed its own people. This might mean something, if US officials weren’t notoriously bad at getting the facts straight. In 1998, the Pentagon flattened a Sudanese pharmaceutical plant with a cruise missile, because US officials said they were convinced it was a site for manufacturing chemical weapons (CW). In turns out the plant made pills. In 1999, Serbia and parts of Montenegro were bombed by US and NATO warplanes for 78 days because US officials said they were convinced the Milosevic government was carrying out a genocide in Kosovo. They were wrong. Over a million Iraqis were sanctioned, bombed and invaded into early graves by the United States and its British subaltern because the officials of both countries said they were convinced the Iraqi government was hiding weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Wrong again. The weapons Iraq was said to be hiding, but had destroyed, had only a tiny fraction of the mass destructive power of the weapons in the arsenals of the US and UK militaries, which didn’t call their weapons WMD, but “deterrents” and “guarantors of our national security.” The Libyan government was ultimately toppled by NATO warplanes because US, French and British officials said they were convinced Libyan leader Muamar Gaddafi was about to commit genocide. Gaddafi had neither the means nor intention to do so. Yet another spectacular error.</span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">In making the point that Washington has waged unprovoked wars on the basis of faulty intelligence at best, but far more likely contrived intelligence and sheer deception, we mustn’t implicitly accept the idea that the United States has the right and obligation to outrage the sovereignty of any country it wishes because the country’s government has crossed a red line the United States has unilaterally established. In doing so, we become locked in a framework of the US ruling class’s making, accepting its claim to have a moral right to assume the role of global rule-maker, prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner—in other words, the planet’s autocrat.</span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Accepting this framework could limit the questions we ask, making us miss important ones. When is an intervention legitimate, and when is it not? Is intervention to punish a country for using a class of weapons in a civil war legitimate? If not, why even talk about whether the trigger for intervention has been pulled if the trigger is invalid? Why talk about whether Obama’s red line has been crossed, rather than whether Obama’s red line is even legitimate? Why are the United States’ massively destructive weapons not called WMD while Syria’s not so massively destructive weapons are? If the Americans, British, French, Russians, Chinese, Indians, Pakistanis, and Israelis have a right (<em>de jure</em> or <em>de facto</em>) to have nuclear weapons as a deterrent, why not the North Koreans?<br /> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Diana Johnstone eloquently pointed out in <a href="http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/08/26/us-uses-past-crimes-to-legalize-future-ones/">Counterpunch</a> yesterday that, “There are many ways of killing people in a civil war. Selecting one as a trigger for US intervention serves primarily to give rebels an excellent reason to carry out a ‘false flag’ operation that will bring NATO into the war they are losing.” [1] True. But we could also note, There are many ways of killing people in a civil war. Why single out CW? It can’t be because they’re uniquely destructive or gruesome. All the deaths due to reported use of chemical agents in Syria are dwarfed by the number of deaths due to other weapons. And dying by gas is no more gruesome than evisceration by an al-Qaeda rebel or having your head blown off by a Saudi-supplied RPG.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Part of the answer, I think, for why CW have been singled out is because Washington can’t single out the Syrian government for using violence to put down a rebellion. That’s because the United States’ satellites, the ruling generals in Egypt, and the Arab royal dictators, are using violence in Egypt and Bahrain to put down rebellions there. To punish the Syrian government for using violence to defend itself against a rebellion is a tough sell, given that Washington’s friends are doing the same in their own countries. &nbsp;. . . .</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">We should ask, Why is it not wrong for the United States and the United Kingdom to use sanctions of mass destruction to kill over a million Iraqis, and conventional bombs and missiles of mass destruction, along with depleted uranium, to invade Iraq, when it is wrong to use CW to kill a few hundred people (which, for reasons I’ve <a href="http://gowans.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/syrian-rebels-most-likely-culprits-in-gas-deaths/">outlined elsewhere</a>, there is no proof, open to examination, that the Syrian government used, and cogent reasons to believe it didn’t)? We should also ask, Is there not something morally grotesque about the United States and the United Kingdom planning to use their own WMD to punish Syria for the deaths of a few hundred people through CW, when the Anglo-American alliance used sanctions of mass destruction and weapons of mass destruction against Iraq, on contrived grounds, producing vastly more deaths and engendering a humanitarian catastrophe on an immense scale? Isn’t this even more grotesque considering that the evidence points more strongly to the alleged gassing incident being the work of the opposition, allied to the United States, than the Syrian government?<br /> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Meanwhile, one of Washington’s servile friends, the royal dictator, King Abdullah of Jordan, has called for a peaceful settlement of Syria’s civil war. Abdullah’s hypocrisy is stunning. He has turned Jordanian territory over to the CIA and Saudis as a center for training Syrian rebels and distributing weapons to the Syrian opposition. Hardly a contribution to a peaceful settlement. [2]</span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Turkey, which once maintained a vast prison house of nations that included the Arabs, says it will join other former colonial powers, France and Britain, in the campaign to punish Syria. The Syrian government, it should be stressed, remains part of a movement of Arab national emancipation and colonial liberation. Unlike the <a href="http://peoplesworld.org/no-u-s-nato-intervention-in-syria/">US Communist Party </a>and other leftists who make conspicuous displays of turning up their noses at the Syrian government, I’m happy to recognize the role it plays in the movement for Arab emancipation, and regard it as progressive. I measure no movement for emancipation against utopian standards, . . . . The servile Arab League, from which the legitimate government of Syria has been ejected, and which has settled comfortably into the role of US puppet, is not so concerned about emancipation, and the same leftists who publicly revile the Syrian government are not so concerned about showing their distaste for the reactionary Arab regimes, all friends of the West.<br /> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Finally, the Wall Street Journal reported today that according to a June poll it sponsored with NBC News, US public opinion is opposed to a military intervention to respond to “the Syrian government’s killing of protesters and civilians.” Only 15 percent of respondents backed a US military intervention. The newspaper didn’t say whether respondents were asked if they favored US military intervention in response to the Egyptian military’s killing of protesters and civilians in Egypt, or Bahrain’s royal dictatorship killing of protesters and civilians in Bahrain, although we can be pretty certain they weren’t. Within the ruling class framework of acceptable thought, punishing allies for doing what enemies are punished for, is unthinkable. It could be said that the poll results are irrelevant, because the survey question didn’t ask about CW. That’s true, but even if the CW question had been posed, the poll results would still be irrelevant. US state officials don’t make decisions on the basis of public opinion, and aren’t particularly swayed by it. The taking and presenting of public opinion polls simply create the illusion that public opinion matters in the formulation of US foreign policy. It doesn’t. What matters are the interests of major investors, bankers and the top executives of America’s largest corporations, and the opinions of the members of the power elite that represent them. And what matters to them is securing more markets, labor and natural resources for US capital to exploit and plunder by toppling governments that insist on using these for their own country’s development and people’s welfare, rather than for the enrichment of Wall Street investment bankers and the expansion of corporate America’s profit margins. Syria’s crime isn’t to have used CW (and it’s unlikely it did), but to have <a href="http://gowans.wordpress.com/2012/02/10/syrias-uprising-in-context/">insisted on political and economic independence</a>.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">See also:&nbsp;</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br /><h2 id="post-2205"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><a href="http://gowans.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/syria-has-the-right-to-use-chemical-weapons-but-theres-no-proof-or-reason-to-believe-it-has/">Syria has the right to use chemical weapons, but there’s no proof, or reason to believe, it&nbsp;has</a> &nbsp;&nbsp;</i></span></h2><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">__</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Wednesday, August 28, 2013--Democracy Now!</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://www.democracynow.org/2013/8/28/as_strikes_on_syria_loom_is#">As Strikes on Syria Loom, Is U.S. Ignoring a Diplomatic Track That Could Prevent More Violence?</a></i></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>The Obama administration says military action in Syria would be aimed at responding to chemical attacks, not seeking regime change, but critics say similar claims were made at the outset of the <span class="caps">NATO</span> intervention in Libya. "There is no military solution," says Phyllis Bennis of the Institute for Policy Studies. "Extra assaults from the United States are going to make the situation worse, put Syrian civilians at greater risk, and not provide protection." . . . .</i></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i><span class="caps">PHYLLIS</span> <span class="caps">BENNIS</span>: Well, you know, the decision to go to the Security Council, that the British are doing today, is, as you mentioned earlier, guaranteed to get a veto, certainly by Russia, likely by China, as well, although it’s conceivable China could abstain, but they’re likely to veto. They may not even get nine sufficient votes.<br />But what’s dangerous here is that the United Nations Charter, which is the fundamental component of international law governing issues of war and peace, is very, very clear on what constitutes the legal use of military force. There is no question that having used chemical weapons—whoever used it—is a huge war crime. It’s a specific violation of the chemical weapons treaty. It’s also a war crime or potentially even a crime against humanity. The problem is, we don’t know yet who is responsible.</i></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>The U.S. is hinting that it may use the Kosovo precedent of 1999 as a way to get around the prohibition—the absolute prohibition—on using military force unless it is immediate self-defense, which no one in Washington is claiming that the use of these horrible weapons in Syria somehow threatens the United States—so that’s off the table—or that the Security Council agrees, which we know is not going to happen. The Kosovo precedent basically said in 1999, "We know we can’t get support from the Security Council, Russia will veto; therefore, we won’t ask the Security Council, we’ll ask the <span class="caps">NATO</span> high command." So they went to <span class="caps">NATO</span>, and, what a surprise, the <span class="caps">NATO</span> high command said, "Yes, we approve the use of military force in Kosovo."</i></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>Now, the problem is twofold. One, <span class="caps">NATO</span> is a military structure. It’s like a hammer and a nail. If you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail. If you’re <span class="caps">NATO</span>, everything looks like it requires a military response. The other problem is legal. There is simply no legal justification that says that the <span class="caps">NATO</span> high command or any other organization has the right to determine the legality of the use of force other than the U.N. Security Council. So if that is the justification, it will stand in complete violation of international law.</i></span></blockquote><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">__</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article36015.htm">CONFIRMED: US Claims Against Syria - There is no Evidence</a></span><br /><blockquote><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">By Tony Cartalucci<br /> August 28, 2013 "<a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/">Information Clearing House</a> - The Wall Street Journal has confirmed what many suspected, that the West's so-called "evidence" of the latest alleged "chemical attacks" in Syria, pinned on the Syrian government are fabrications spun up from the West's own dubious intelligence agencies.&nbsp;</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The Wall Street Journal reveals that the US is citing claims from Israel's Mossad intelligence agency fed to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a repeat of the fabrications that led up to the Iraq War, the Libyan War, and have been used now for 3 years to justify continued support of extremists operating within and along Syria's borders.</span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Wall Street Journal's article, "<a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324906304579039342815115978.html">U.S., Allies Prepare to Act as Syria Intelligence Mounts</a>," states:<br /> </span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>One crucial piece of the emerging case came from Israeli spy services, which provided the Central Intelligence Agency with intelligence from inside an elite special Syrian unit that oversees Mr. Assad's chemical weapons, Arab diplomats said. The intelligence, which the CIA was able to verify, showed that certain types of chemical weapons were moved in advance to the same Damascus suburbs where the attack allegedly took place a week ago, Arab diplomats said.</i></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> <br />Both Mossad and the CIA are clearly compromised in terms of objectivity and legitimacy. Neither exists nor is expected to provide impartial evidence, but rather to facilitate by all means necessary the self-serving agendas, interests, and objectives of their respective governments.&nbsp;</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> That both Israel and the United States, <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/03/05/070305fa_fact_hersh?currentPage=all"> as far back as 2007 have openly conspired together to overthrow the government of Syria</a> through a carefully engineered sectarian bloodbath, discredits entirely their respective intelligence agencies. This is precisely why an impartial, objective third-party investigation has been called for by the international community and agreed upon by the Syrian government - a third-party investigation the US has now urged to be canceled ahead of its planned military strikes.</span>&nbsp;[It is worth remembering that technically, Israel and Syria, while reaching a ceasefire agreement after the 1973 Yom Kippur War, are still at war, and that Israel still occupies and transfers its citizens to the illegally held Golan Heights, which was taken from Syria in the 1967 war. Chris]</blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324906304579039342815115978.html"> Wall Street Journal reports</a>:<br /> </span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>In an email on Sunday, White House National Security Adviser Susan Rice told U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power and other top officials that the U.N. mission was pointless because the chemical weapons evidence already was conclusive, officials said. The U.S. privately urged the U.N. to pull the inspectors out, setting the stage for President Barack Obama to possibly move forward with a military response, officials said.</i></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The US then, not Syria, is attempting a coverup, with fabrications in place from discredited, compromised intelligence sources and the threat of impending military strikes that would endanger the UN inspection team's safety should they fail to end their investigation and withdraw.<br /> <br /><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324906304579039342815115978.html"> The Wall Street Journal also reiterated</a> that the US is planning to fully sidestep the UN Security Council and proceed with its partners unilaterally:</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>...if the U.S. chose to strike, it would do so with allies and without the U.N., in order to sidestep an expected Russian veto.</i></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The US proceeds now with absolute disregard for international law, all but declaring it has no intention of providing credible evidence of its accusations against the Syrian government. It is a rush to war with all the hallmarks of dangerous desperation as the West's proxy forces collapse before the Syrian military. Western military leaders must consider the strategic tenants and historical examples regarding the dangers and folly of haste and imprudence in war - especially war fought to protect special interests and political agendas rather than to defend territory.<br /> <br /> The populations of the West must likewise consider what benefits they have garnered from the last decade of military conquest their leaders have indulged in. Crumbling economies gutted to feed the preservation of special interests and the growing domestic security apparatuses to keep these interests safe from both domestic and foreign dissent are problems that will only grow more acute.&nbsp;</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Outside of the West, in Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran, leaders must consider a future where Western special interests can invade with impunity, without public support, or even the tenuous semblance of justification being necessary.<br /> <br /> This article was originally published at <a href="http://landdestroyer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/cofirmed-us-claims-against-syria-there.html"> Land Destroyer</a> </span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">__</span><br /><br /><div class="entry-date"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">August 28, 2013--Counterpunch</span></div><div class="entry-date"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="subheadlinestyle"><a href="http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/08/28/in-rush-to-strike-syria-u-s-tried-to-derail-u-n-probe/print"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Truth Beneath the Surface</span></a></div><div class="article-title"><a href="http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/08/28/in-rush-to-strike-syria-u-s-tried-to-derail-u-n-probe/print"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In Rush to Strike Syria, U.S. Tried to Derail U.N. Probe</span></a></div><div class="article-title"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="mainauthorstyle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">by GARETH PORTER</span></div><div class="mainauthorstyle"><br /></div><div id="main-text"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>After initially insisting that Syria give United Nations investigators unimpeded access to the site of an alleged nerve gas attack, the administration of President Barack Obama reversed its position&nbsp;on Sunday&nbsp;and tried unsuccessfully to get the U.N. to call off its investigation.</i></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>The administration’s reversal, which came within hours of the deal reached between Syria and the U.N., was reported by the&nbsp;Wall Street Journal&nbsp;Monday&nbsp;and effectively confirmed by a State Department spokesperson later that day.</i></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>In his press appearance&nbsp;Monday, Secretary of State John Kerry, who intervened with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to call off the investigation, dismissed the U.N. investigation as coming too late to obtain valid evidence on the attack that Syrian opposition sources claimed killed as many 1,300 people. &nbsp;</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>. . . . &nbsp;</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>Dan Kastesza, a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Army Chemical Corps and a former adviser to the White House on chemical and biological weapons proliferation, told IPS the team will not be looking for traces of the nerve gas sarin in blood samples but rather chemicals produced when sarin degrades.</i></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>But Kastesza said that once samples arrive at laboratories, specialists could make a determination “in a day or two” about whether a nerve agent or other chemical weapons had been used.</i></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>The real reason for the Obama administration’s hostility toward the U.N. investigation appears to be the fear that the Syrian government’s decision to allow the team access to the area indicates that it knows that U.N. investigators will not find evidence of a nerve gas attack.</i></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>The administration’s effort to discredit the investigation recalls the George W. Bush administration’s rejection of the position of U.N. inspectors in 2002 and 2003 after they found no evidence of any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and the administration’s refusal to give inspectors more time to fully rule out the existence of an active Iraqi WMD programme.</i></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>In both cases, the administration had made up its mind to go to war and wanted no information that could contradict that policy to arise.</i></span></blockquote></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">_____</span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="idc-loaded" id="IDCommentLoadingDiv" style="display: block;"></div><div id="at20mc" style="z-index: 1000000;"><div id="at16pcc"></div></div><br />http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/are-perennial-pinocchios-of-corporate.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-2687873217352215706Wed, 28 Aug 2013 06:49:00 +00002013-08-28T09:40:56.202-07:00Baker City OregonCattleCOWSCryptosporidiumOregon Health AuthorityUV treatmentWater QualityBaker City Council Moving Forward with UV Treatment Plan[Edited &amp; Updated 8/28/13]<br /><br />The Baker City Council is Moving Forward with a UV treatment Plan.<br /><br />Despite objections from Roger Coles and Mike Downing, the Baker City Council, after hearing a presentation from Dave Leland,&nbsp;Interim Administrator, Center for Health Protection, of the&nbsp;Oregon Health Authority, decided to move forward with plans to install UV treatment of our water supply in order to deal with the Cryptosporidium problem.<br /><br />Mr. Leland explained that UV treatment was acceptable as long as we implement improved measures to protect the watershed, especially from the number one threat: cows. "Sure, UV is still an option" as long as we meet the federal criteria, but that a more "robust" watershed control program would be needed. He noted that cattle are "implicated over and over again" in studies that have been conducted. He also said that cattle are around our watershed, but that is not the case in the other three Oregon cities that have been allowed to pursue options other than filtration. The easy access by cattle to our watershed is the difference, and he asked Council "How do we reduce the opportunities for cattle" to get into our watershed. If those opportunities can be significantly reduced, he noted "UV is still an option." He later stated that "Robust watershed protection will have to be in place with UV protection."<br /><br />Councilor Mosier was tentatively in favor of UV but wanted more information with adequate time for study. Councilor Button was cautious, but more or less in favor of UV due to cost advantages. Mayor Langrell and Councilor Dorrah were clearly in favor for cost effectiveness reasons as long as wells could be found for backup to cover any problems that develop in the watershed. Councilor Johnson reminded all of the need for assurances and City Manager Mike Kee stated that if we manage the watershed correctly that we will be in compliance.<br /><br />There was much more discussion, but in the end, the "consensus" was that &nbsp;we should continue to pursue proven UV treatment due to the cost advantages, while also actively finding more wells to backup the ASR well and a rehabilitated second backup well at the golf course, in case of catastrophic fire or other problems in the watershed.<br /><br />More to follow, but for now, we are good with the affordable UV option as long as we show that we can protect our relatively clean watershed from intrusion by cattle or other serious threats.<br /><br />My letter to Council:<br /><br /><div><div><div><blockquote><i>Councilor's:</i></blockquote><blockquote><i>I appreciate the caution of some because it is a big decision and the future is not known. I expect that with global climate change that we might expect a major fire in the watershed at some point in the future. However, if we utilize the ASR well, the "golf course well," and one or two more good producing wells, as Mike and others have proposed, we can live through such an event with safe, clean water. I believe the critical point to be understood from the information provided by Mr. Leland, and apparently understood by you, is that we need to take protection of the watershed seriously, and keep cows out, as envisioned by the original plan. As I believe Mike noted, it is a good time to revisit and create a new, effective, Watershed Management Plan.</i></blockquote><blockquote><i>With an effective enforceable plan, proceeding with UV and wells should provide safe, affordable drinking water well into the future for our small, sustainable town.&nbsp;</i></blockquote><blockquote><i>I might add that my understanding is that the Forest Service was not notified of the most recent cattle trespass, so, if true, and I believe it is, there is plenty of room for improved communication--both to upper city management, Council, and the Forest Service.<br /> <br />Also, the new engineer was impressive as a knowledgeable communicator when given his small chance.&nbsp;</i></blockquote><blockquote><i>Hope I'm not being overbearing and out of place--just an opinion from a citizen who has tried to be informed.&nbsp;</i></blockquote><blockquote><i>Thank you all for your efforts to understand and find solutions.</i></blockquote><blockquote><i>Chris</i></blockquote>On the issue of the city water specialist communicating with the Forest Service when cows get in the watershed, I was told that the Forest Service had not received a single call from the city about cattle trespass during the last three summers. They do receive some calls from the grazing permittee or Forest Service employees when cows have gotten in, but did not receive a call from the permittee or the city concerning the most recent trespass.<br /><blockquote>_____</blockquote></div></div></div>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/baker-city-council-moving-forward-with.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-2889463527831735134Tue, 27 Aug 2013 03:41:00 +00002013-08-27T12:28:31.369-07:00backup water supplybackup wellBaker CityBaker City Cryptosporidium OutbreakBaker City OregonCOWSOregon Water Quality StandardsqualificationsWatershed Management PlanSome Cryptic Aspects of the Crypto Outbreak, Part 2: The best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry[Updated &amp; edited, YouTube links added, 8/27/13]<br /><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Plans? &nbsp;What plans?</span></b><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">At the August 13, 2013 Council meeting, Baker City Public Works Director Michelle Owen mentioned that "regaining public trust" was one of the thoughts guiding the city's plan to restore safe water service. You may recall that some of that public trust was lost back in November 2011, when the Baker City Council and city residents discovered that Cryptosporidium had first been found in the water supply over a year before, but somehow they were not informed of that fact. The plan to notify the Council of pathogens in our water didn't work out too well and the City has never completely explained what happened. Neither are we aware of any consequences for any city employees involved. Once lost, public trust can be hard to regain, but especially so when that trust is tested repeatedly.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hw9_KlwGwio/UhvDp8u6IgI/AAAAAAAAB6A/ICiV99yePek/s1600/Elk+Creek+Diversion-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hw9_KlwGwio/UhvDp8u6IgI/AAAAAAAAB6A/ICiV99yePek/s320/Elk+Creek+Diversion-lg.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Elk Creek Diversion</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Last Friday's Baker City Herald article (<i>Experts help determine cause of outbreak 8/23/13</i>) seemed to provide some assurance that the city had a handle on things, with it's two large photos of government scientists and our water specialist in action to help solve the cause of our crypto crisis. Don't worry, everything is under control--look at all that expertise at work! They are doing everything they can to get to the bottom of how such a well managed and protected city watershed could be hit with one of the larger US Cryptosporidium outbreaks in recent years--years in which we focused on the remarkable technological improvements in Cryptosporidium detection while stalling on making decisions about which wonderful water treatment technology we would use to provide us with solutions. Years, I might add, when some didn't always follow, or follow up on the plans.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">While we long to look on the bright side, there are reasons to question the rosy picture of effective action and competence presented by the Herald and city staff.&nbsp;Here are some questions they could ask for example:</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Why did it take a citizen, me, to get two Councilors interested in going out to see if cattle had been getting into the watershed, if, as we found out later, cattle had been getting into the watershed for at least a few years? Why did City Manager Kee, after I had asked him in an August 11, 2013 email if he would like to go with me to look for cattle sign, tell me on the 13th that <i>"</i><i>We have walked the drainage a couple of times and have no immediate plans to go back out." </i>Why, after I asked him "Has the city ever found cows in the watershed near Elk Creek?"&nbsp;did he tell me on August 15th that "<i>I don’t know if cows have ever been seen in Elk Creek.</i>"? The state and Centers for Disease Control employees took cattle fecal samples on Thursday, August 22, even though the newer ones had apparently been there for a week or more on the 19th, and many others for weeks or years. When were&nbsp;state epidemiologists and Centers for Disease Control employees informed&nbsp;of cattle fecal material from this and previous years being present inside the watershed near the Elk Creek diversion and on upstream? Public Works Director Owen told Councilors at the August 13, 2013 meeting that the state had collected elk fecal samples at Elk Creek, but made no mention of cows or of them collecting fecal material from cattle.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Uf4BNJWDlH0/UhvIVz88LWI/AAAAAAAAB6M/QwZU3UfKytY/s1600/Councilors+and+Watershed+Personnell+lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Uf4BNJWDlH0/UhvIVz88LWI/AAAAAAAAB6M/QwZU3UfKytY/s400/Councilors+and+Watershed+Personnell+lg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Relatively recent "cow pies"seen strewn along road near Elk Creek diversion on 8/19/13</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why weren't City Manager Kee, the Councilors, and the citizens of Baker City more aware of the fact &nbsp;that Public Works Department personnel have known about cows getting into the watershed for over two years? Why didn't we know that the Department of Public works told the state Drinking Water Program <u>on November 18, 2011</u>, <u>less than two weeks after we were told about the crypto in our water supply</u>, that:</span></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>In order to better protect the Elk Creek Diversion Intake we will be constructing new fence next spring </i>[Spring of 2012--over a year ago]<i>&nbsp;</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>along the boundaries of the city owned 40 acre parcel. <u>The new fencing will prevent any livestock from&nbsp;</u></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><u>entering into the city property.</u></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[Emphasis added]</span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Similarly, why weren't we all, including City Manager Mike Kee, informed early on that the Watershed Management report from March 4, 2013 stated:</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Also the City has purchased materials to construct a barb wire fence around 40 acres of City owned&nbsp;</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>land surrounding the Elk Creek Diversion. This fence will provide a barrier for cattle ranging in the&nbsp;</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>close proximity. Currently there is a meandering range allotment fence that extends for miles. This&nbsp;</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>fence protects the Elk Creek Watershed and is in good repair most of the time, <u>but there have been&nbsp;</u></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-decoration: underline;"><i>incidents where cattle have found their way to the wrong side of the fence. The new fence will protect&nbsp;</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="text-decoration: underline;">the diversion and approximately 1/4 mile ofthe Elk Creek riparian zone from stray cattle.</i> [Emphasis added]</span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The promised fence was never built. So, given that safe drinking water is of fundamental importance to the healthy functioning and economic prosperity of a city, and given that Public Works knew that cows were regularly trespassing on the watershed around Elk Creek, why wasn't the plan to build that fence in the spring of 2012 followed? &nbsp;I was told by a person at the state level that<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">&nbsp;"the fencing project was not undertaken due to time/manpower limitations." Well, during that time, our resources in time and manpower were being spent on expanding the irrigation pond at the golf course and on Resort Street under-grounding of utilities. (See the Weekly Reports for the period in question.)&nbsp;Like </span>Marshall McComb, a local resident told me recently: "Holy Cow!"</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZVCLUDU2AI/UhvT9tjcFBI/AAAAAAAAB6c/pxPU3GMw76I/s1600/Cows+in+grazing+allotment+next+to+watershed-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZVCLUDU2AI/UhvT9tjcFBI/AAAAAAAAB6c/pxPU3GMw76I/s400/Cows+in+grazing+allotment+next+to+watershed-lg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sacred cows still near watershed and in wrong pasture a week or more after cows were discovered in watershed.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6psYkCKY054/UhvZpmg_FTI/AAAAAAAAB6s/3E2okM-vgF8/s1600/Baker+City's+well+watered+golf+course-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6psYkCKY054/UhvZpmg_FTI/AAAAAAAAB6s/3E2okM-vgF8/s400/Baker+City's+well+watered+golf+course-lg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Baker City's well watered golf course</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">T</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">he <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYwl4Z1qSEA&amp;feature=share&amp;list=UUWlkNNo8gSKekydHmg9pJ-Q">March 27, </a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYwl4Z1qSEA&amp;feature=share&amp;list=UUWlkNNo8gSKekydHmg9pJ-Q">2012</a></u></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYwl4Z1qSEA&amp;feature=share&amp;list=UUWlkNNo8gSKekydHmg9pJ-Q"> Council meeting</a> discussed a perceived need to change the work on the golf course connection from the $3500 back flow valve agreed upon a year earlier to a $50,000 expansion and sealing of the irrigation pond with associated delivery pipe and other infrastructure. At the meeting, Finance Director&nbsp;</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Jeanie Dexter reminds the Council that the golf course fund is in a deficit situation to the tune of $52,000 already (assuming $20,000 was going to be spent on a backflow device and $80,000 to be transferred from LAMP fund)), and that even with the $80,000 that the Council could make available to the golf course, there would only be $28,000 in additional funding left from the $80,000 to use for the project.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why,&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">at that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYwl4Z1qSEA&amp;feature=share&amp;list=UUWlkNNo8gSKekydHmg9pJ-Q">March 27, 2012 Council meeting</a>,&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">after Councilor Roger Coles asked about the backup drinking water well at the golf course, was he told that it had been <u>inoperable for a year</u>?&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why did much of the Council initially ignore that fact, waiting for the golf course operator to twice insist that he needed it for backup before even thinking about it? &nbsp;</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><br /></u></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Given that Public Works Director Owen then told Council that "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>the well issue can be worked out through the water fund . . . as opposed to the golf course fund . . . .,</i>" <u>Why&nbsp;is that well still inoperable one year and five months later, in the middle of a crisis during which we are discussing trying to find additional clean water sources?</u> (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1wJfwMWWfk&amp;feature=share&amp;list=UUWlkNNo8gSKekydHmg9pJ-Q">See August 13, 2013 video clip here</a>)</span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NvokcZoZIUs/Uhva0jCYx1I/AAAAAAAAB60/oS0I9lr901o/s1600/Inoperable+Well+Water+Level+Gaugelg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NvokcZoZIUs/Uhva0jCYx1I/AAAAAAAAB60/oS0I9lr901o/s320/Inoperable+Well+Water+Level+Gaugelg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">&nbsp; </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Water Level Gauge for Inoperable Backup Well at Golf Course</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The 2012 Watershed Management Report states:</span><br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>Diversions used for collection of surface water are monitored by City Personnel on a regular basis throughout the year (weather pennitting) as part of our operations. <u>Several observations were made ofunauthorized entry in the Watershed using trail cameras.</u> This information was then given to the USFS law enforcement officials.</i></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>Watershed security remains a high priority and the City may <u>continue</u> to monitor points of entry to&nbsp;<u>identify unauthorized entry by using trail cameras.</u></i></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Apparently they have the trail camera photos, what do they show? &nbsp;</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We often look to&nbsp;technology to save us while forgetting that the human element plays at least as large a part in how well our systems function as technology. Humans have</span> to follow plans that have been developed to make our technologically enhanced systems function properly, and supervisors, as well as others in the regulatory framework, need to make sure those plans are being followed.&nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In our case, if the plans were followed up on, we</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>might</u></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">not even be talking about the need for a technologically complex and expensive filtration system for the watershed.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">So here's the plan--it's an old one but has important sections that have not been taken seriously.</span></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In trying to understand this recent, destructive and debilitating crypto problem within our watershed I asked the city for our <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/163355104/1991-Watershed-Management-Plan-for-Baker-City-Oregon">Watershed Management Plan</a> which is required by state law. I asked for it last week and after I received it I was told by the city that they then had posted it on the city website. I could not easily find it, but I'm sure it is there somewhere. In addition to having requirements, it has interesting historical documents within it, one of which is a 1904 Presidential proclamation establishing our "protected" watershed.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Among other things, the Watershed Management Plan states or requires the following (Emphasis Added):</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>*The goal of the Baker City Watershed Management Plan is to maintain or improve&nbsp;the present quantity and quality of the raw water of the Watershed, <b>and to ensure the&nbsp;water quality is maintained at or above the level set by the Surface Water Treatment Rule&nbsp;(SWIR) to avoid filtration.</b></i></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>*The City was notified by the Oregon Health Division by a letter dated July 26, 1991,&nbsp;that the City can meet all the criteria for exemption to filtration.</i></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">*Big game management will be directed&nbsp;toward maintaining proper herd levels of deer and elk which are compatible with&nbsp;water quality criteria. Animal population will be controlled to not degrade the water&nbsp;quality in the Watershed.</span></i></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>*Livestock: Livestock will not be allowed within the boundaries of the Watershed.&nbsp;Preventative measures will<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span>be used if&nbsp;needed to prevent animals from trespassing into the&nbsp;Watershed.&nbsp;</b></i></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>*No grazing of livestock in the Watershed is permitted.</b></i></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; font-style: italic;">*If the turbidity is a wide spread or long lasting problem, the system will be switched&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; font-style: italic;">from surface water to ground water by using one or both of the City's <b>two deep wells</b> which&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; font-style: italic;">have a combined capacity of approximately 2,800 GPM, which exceeds the water demand in&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; font-style: italic;">the spring of the year .. the time when the turbidity is most likely to occur. Even during&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>periods of high demand, it is adequate with some rationing. </i>[These two wells are the ASR well, (presently functioning), and the well in the golf course parking lot (hasn't functioned for years).]</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>*Annual Report</i></span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>B) Personnel Education/Experience:</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>(1) <b>Minimum education of key personnel in&nbsp;Watershed Management:</b></i></span></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>&nbsp;</b></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>(a)<b> Director of Public Works minimum qualifications:</b> Graduation from a four&nbsp;year college or university with specialization in<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span>civil engineering and three&nbsp;years of progressive responsible professional experience in public works&nbsp;administration including supervisory capacity; or any combination of&nbsp;experience and education that demonstrates provision of the knowledge, skills,&nbsp;and abilities listed above.&nbsp;</i></span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>(b) <b>Water Supervisor minimum qualifications:</b> Five years experience <span style="font: 12.5px Helvetica;">in </span>water&nbsp;maintenance and water and sewer construction work, with one year in<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span>a&nbsp;supervisory capacity; certified to Class Two as water treatment operator, water&nbsp;distribution operator, within two years of appointment as supervisor; or any&nbsp;combination of experience and educational training that demonstrates&nbsp;provision of the knowledge, skill, and abilities listed above.</i></span></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>(c) <b>Water Specialist minimum qualifications:</b> Three years experience in the&nbsp;operation and maintenance of water treatment plant; supplemented by special&nbsp;coursework in<span style="font: 12.5px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span>water treatment operation; or any combination of education&nbsp;and experience which demonstrates provision of the knowledge, skill, and&nbsp;ability listed above; Water Treatment II Classification or successful&nbsp;certification within one year from date of appointment or within next State&nbsp;of Oregon certification testing cycle.</i></span></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*An a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">nnual written report will be made and submitted to the State of Oregon Health&nbsp;Department with a copy to Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, headquarters, no later than&nbsp;January 15th of each year [</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now&nbsp;<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1092220613" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">October 10</span></span> per OAR 333-061-0040(1)(E)(B)(i).<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">]</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">. <b>At minimum<span style="font: 9.5px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span>the report will include the following:</b></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">. . . .&nbsp;</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>B) <b>Key Individuals &amp; Qualifications: A list of all key individuals responsible for the</b></i></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Watershed. The list will include their education, experience and training relating to their</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>ability to operate the Watershed.&nbsp;</i></span></b></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>*[August 1991] MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING&nbsp;between&nbsp;WALLOWA-WHITMAN NATIONAL FOREST&nbsp;and&nbsp;CITY OF BAKER <span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;">CITY, </span>OREGON</i></span></blockquote><div style="font: 11.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i></i></span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>&nbsp;Zones of Influence: This includes lands adjacent to the Watershed which will&nbsp;affect or be affected by management of the Watershed. Zones of Influence mayor may not&nbsp;drain into the Watershed, but management of the resources and activities in these zones&nbsp;will be done in such a manner as to reflect the standards of management desired within the&nbsp;Watershed. &nbsp;. . . .</i></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Zones of Influence: A Zone of Influence exists outside the boundaries of the&nbsp;Watershed which could have a substantial impact on the water quality produced within the&nbsp;boundaries of the Watershed.</i></span>&nbsp;</span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>The areas designated as Zones of Influence lying within the National Forest&nbsp;boundaries will be managed with Best Management Practices (BMP) and as prescribed in&nbsp;the Watershed Management Plan. No activities will be allowed in the Zones of Influence&nbsp;which will have an adverse impact on the water quality or quantity. Special attention will&nbsp;be given to the use of any herbicides, pesticides, or other chemicals to assure no&nbsp;contamination is allowed to occur which would affect the water quality within the boundary&nbsp;of the Watershed. Also, special attention will be given to any grazing permits given within&nbsp;the Zones of Influence to ensure that livestock will not stray into the Watershed. &nbsp; . . . .</i></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>Nothing in this MOD shall be construed as obligatory of either party to expend&nbsp;funds, nor involve the United States or the City in<span style="font: 13.0px Helvetica;">&nbsp;</span>any contracts or other obligation for&nbsp;future payment of monies in excess of appropriations authorized by law.</i></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Here are some of the&nbsp;Baker City Watershed Management Reports that I have been able to obtain. Note that all appear to be late, most do not include the qualifications of the Director of Public Works and some&nbsp;do not include the qualifications&nbsp;the Water Supervisor, as required by the <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/163355104/1991-Watershed-Management-Plan-for-Baker-City-Oregon">Baker City Water Management Plan</a>. The 2012 and 2011 reports show that the Public works staff were aware of cattle getting into the watershed and of their unmet plans to build a fence to keep them out. My emails and interactions with the City Manager and Councilors indicate that that they too did not know that cattle were getting into the watershed around the times when testing and Cryptosporidium disease outbreaks showed that cryptosporidium was in the watershed. I do not know whether they knew or didn't know, I only know that they did not indicate to me that they knew. I also do not know whether cattle are the cause of our Cryptosporidium outbreak, and because of the way things were handled, we may never know exactly what the cause was. If the state had known ASAP that fresh cattle fecal material was found in the watershed, they might have been able to get better samples to genotype. Perhaps if the state had returned my call prior to their trip on August 22, they would have asked myself and Councilor Dorrah to show them where the freshest samples were located. Instead, they asked the Herald to tag along to provide PR.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/163362724/Baker-City-2012-Wa"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Baker City 2012 Watershed Management Report</span></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/163365460/Baker-City-2011-Watershed-Management-Report"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Baker City 2011 Watershed Management Report</span></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/163367522/2007-Baker-City-Watershed-Mgt-Report">Baker City 2007 Watershed&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/163365460/Baker-City-2011-Watershed-Management-Report">Management Report</a></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div class="doc_title" data-preview="title"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/163370296/Baker-City-2006-Watershed-Management-Report"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Baker City 2006 Watershed&nbsp;Management Report</span></a></div><div class="doc_title" data-preview="title"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="doc_title" data-preview="title"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I'll add more reports if I can get them, but the last Public Works Director who may have met the requirements for pubic works director laid down in the Watershed Management Plan was probably Dick Fleming, who was asked to resign by City Manager Jerry Gilham in April of 2004. He was after all a professional engineer.</span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>So, the best laid schemes of mice and men will often go awry,</i><br /><i>And I know for sure, that there is too, more than meets the eye.</i><br /><i>People may pose and politics will play,</i><br /><i>But it's often education that saves the day.</i></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">"the best laid schemes of mice and men will often go awry"&nbsp;is from&nbsp;<em>To a Mouse</em>, a poem by&nbsp;Robert Burns,&nbsp;1786, the rest from yours truly.</blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Perhaps if the city would have published their plans and Annual Watershed Reports on the website earlier and explained them at City Council meetings, some of us would have had a clearer picture of the dangers we faced, and would have asked some relevant questions when they could have made a difference.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I might add that Council priorities play a big part in how things turn out. &nbsp;We needed attention to basic infrastructure for fundamental priorities, like watershed management, water quality and water treatment for all citizens, but we got Council attention and scarce resources spent on the needs of relatively few golfers and the owners of property around the golf course, as well as to the needs of businesses on Resort Street, and their fans inside and outside of local government, who wanted underground utilities there. They also approv<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ed&nbsp;paying off $25,000 of a $61,000, 2002 airport facilities project debt while using</span> $36,256 on "loan" from the equipment and vehicle fund<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">&nbsp;to refinance the rest.&nbsp;The </span>golf course has generally received significant subsidies from the city since the ill-advised creation of the "back nine" about a decade ago, and both the golf course and the under-grounding of utilities on Resort Street have soaked up funding, as well as city worker time and equipment, when we should have been expending those resources on protecting against known threats in the watershed.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nDBo2_6E5AE/Uhw8SIZhflI/AAAAAAAAB7E/FJCfyx5DCV0/s1600/Reflections+on+the+Golf+Course2-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nDBo2_6E5AE/Uhw8SIZhflI/AAAAAAAAB7E/FJCfyx5DCV0/s640/Reflections+on+the+Golf+Course2-lg.jpg" width="497" /></a></div><br /><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Baker City's well watered,&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">and not very well used,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">&nbsp;golf course as seen in reflection from clubhouse window</span></div><div style="font-size: x-large; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Beyond what I've posted previously, above are some of the documents, circumstances, and facts, surrounding the history leading up to our crypto crisis, and it currently is the best I can do. You can use these findings as you will. I have already forgotten some important points, but will add them and the two relevant YouTube Council videos as I can (done).</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">There is a Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday night at 7 PM (8/27/13), and two state representatives will be there to discuss our options.&nbsp;</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Forgot to add that the state epidemiologist, Emelio De Bess, confirmed late Friday, when I was finally able to talk with him, &nbsp;that the species of Cryptosporidium found in the human fecal samples was&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Cryptosporidium parvum, and they were all of the same genotype. They will compare that species and genotype to the species and genotype found in the other fecal samples they have collected so far from water and animals. Hopefully, the cattle fecal samples he collected will be from the younger animals and be in good enough condition for molecular analysis.&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He wasn't sure if the sample they have from the 913 crypto collected in the water sample from Elk Creek earlier will be in good enough condition to genotype for comparison to the human fecal samples already genotyped because the staining of the slide may have made that impossible.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He is hopeful, and did not say what happened to the rest of the sample, if there was any left.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">____</span>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/some-cryptic-aspects-of-crypto-outbreak_26.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-6128415185733884158Fri, 23 Aug 2013 05:57:00 +00002013-08-23T23:03:50.173-07:00Baker CityBaker City Cryptosporidium OutbreakBaker City OregonCOWSOregon Water Quality StandardsSome Cryptic Aspects of the Crypto Outbreak, Part 1[Edited and updated&nbsp;&nbsp;8/23/13]<br />This blog may contain more information about Cryptosporidium than some people want. &nbsp;If so, skip down to the YouTube videos at the end. &nbsp;One from Wally Sykes in Wallowa County about a Wolverine, and the other about the activities of the Sheriff in Malheur County. &nbsp;As usual, if they don't play, click on the title above the video, and it will take you directly to the YouTube video. The <a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/old-and-new-cowpies-found-near-elk.html">previous blog on this subject </a>has also been updated.<br />__<br /><br />One of the interesting problems associated with the 1993 Milwaukee, WI, Cryptosporidum outbreak, which affected some 400,000 people directly, was that the actual cause was never determined. Those that studied the epidemic could not come to a definitive conclusion as to whether it was caused by dairy cattle or a sewage issue.<br /><br />Most of us would like to know the primary cause of disease outbreaks that create such damaging effects to people's health and financial well being, so that we can prevent them from happening in the future. This is certainly here in Baker City, where we face large expenditures necessitated by the state and federal drinking water rules, and where economic losses due to sickness and curtailment of business activity have been large. When the cause remains obscure, correcting such a problem efficiently becomes extremely difficult. If we knew for certain that the problem was caused by mountain goats, elk, cows, (and yes, I've heard "sabotage" offered up) or some other specific agent or event, we could zero in on effective solutions that might save us millions of dollars that would otherwise be directed at prevention associated with unknown causes and for unknown reasons.<br /><br />As of now, given the available information, the cause of our Crypto outbreak remains a mystery.<br /><br />I have tried this week to get information from the County Health Department and the Oregon Health Authority about what kinds of tests have been performed on what types of samples in order to help people understand more about the actual cause of our waterborne Cryptosporidium outbreak. Information is hard to come by, at least for me, although it appears that mountain goats are no longer a suspect. Yesterday morning, Alicia Hills from our County Public Health Department, was able to reveal that the tests on mountain goat scat were negative for Cryptosporidium. That, coupled with few crypto oocysts in Goodrich Reservoir, tends to count them out as a significant contributor to any crypto load in the watershed.<br /><br />Here is the crux of my problem as a citizen blogger trying to get current relevant information: On July 16, 2013, I asked the Oregon Health authority (OHA) for information about a different potential health problem. As of today, they have not answered my questions.<br /><br />Yesterday I left a message to an OHA person concerning our crypto outbreak, and&nbsp;what kinds of tests have been performed on what types of samples,&nbsp;because the intermediate contact allowed me to leave them a message. I had asked them the same questions on Tuesday. I have not received a return call. I was not able to talk to a person even remotely connected to the Crypto outbreak study until today, and he promised to try to find answers to the questions I asked from some unknown person who is supposed to have some idea about what is going on. Additionally, the state drinking authority contact that used to respond to my questions has gone silent [Seems to be back today! 8/23/13].&nbsp;Apparently,&nbsp;I'm not a preferred provider of information to the public. If history is a guide. . . .<br /><br />The city though, has in some cases been responsive (I'm grateful), but trying to get information on the <u>current</u> costs of UV treatment vs filtration remains frustrating, even though people are forming opinions on the choice we should make without adequate information about the current costs to be borne in the long term. Once people commit to an opinion, positions tend to harden, and some will try to defend their opinion regardless of new information. That is why Herald editorials and Herald opinion polls in the middle of a crisis, before adequate information is provided, do not serve the public well. It can&nbsp;though&nbsp;be an effective strategy for advancing a position without regard to the financial welfare of the community.<br /><br />For review, here are the figures for treatment options from November 22, 2009 (Capital is essentially the cost of the plant, "$M" stands for MILLIONS of dollars, O and M stands for yearly Operation and Maintenance [multiply by $1,000 so 332 means $332,000 yearly O and M costs]):<br /><br /><div style="font: 11.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Table 2. Cost Opinion for LT2ESWTR Compliance Options</span></i></b></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Compliance Option &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Capital ($M) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;O and M ($1,000/yr) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Present Worth ($M)</span></i></b></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">UV &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2.3 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 13 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2.5</span></i></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Ozone &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 4.8 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 89 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;5.8</span></i></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Chlorine Dioxide &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;12.7 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 74 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;13.6</span></i></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Membrane Filtration &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;17.7 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 332 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 21.5</span></i></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Notes:</i></span></b></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>1. Capital Cost includes Engineering and Services During Construction</i></span></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>2. Oxone and Chlorine Dioxide costs from Formation and Control of DBPs in Drinking</i></span></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Water, AWWA 1999. Chlorine Dioxide costs include 12-MG contact tank.</i></span></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>3. UV Costs from UV Disinfection Costs for Inactivating Cryptosporidium, JAWWA June</i></span></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2001</span></i></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>4. Costs updated to June 2009 dollars using ENR 20-city average construction cost index</i></span></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Assumptions:</i></span></b></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Average Annual Flow = 4 mgd</i></span></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Plant Capacity = 12 mgd</i></span></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Discount (interest) rate = 6%</i></span></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Amortization Period = 20 yrs</i></span></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Engineering and Services During Construction = 25%</i></span></div><div style="font: 10.5px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Contingency on Capital Costs = 30%</i></span></div><br /><br />The information available from 2009, as well as the information provided below, would indicate that committing to filtration at this point is ill advised.<br /><br />Getting back to the cryptic aspects of the crypto outbreak:&nbsp;what kinds of tests have been performed on what types of fecal material and water samples, so that we can understand more about the actual cause of our waterborne Cryptosporidium outbreak?&nbsp;Alicia Hills said that the only test result she had was the negative test for Cryptosporidium in mountain goat scat, and that she did not know what all the samples taken consisted of. She did not know whether the cattle fecal material found near the Elk Creek water supply intake had been tested. After all, no one was aware, or at least admitting, that cattle had been in the watershed until after I asked first Mike Kee, and then Clair Button, to go with me to investigate on August 12--a request that resulted in our August 19th trip to Elk Creek. Given the washed out condition of some of the more recent cattle fecal material found on that date, it is conceivable that some of it was present prior to the August 1 rain event. No one I've talked to thus far has been able to answer the question of whether they have tested the more recent fecal material from cattle in the watershed, and those who should know have not returned my calls.<br /><br />Without that information, it all remains a mystery.<br /><br />So I get to poke around the edges in the dark because the state is not responsive. I hate to resort to public records requests, but may have to.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q1e2ESRnzr8/Uhb10UHLZ2I/AAAAAAAAB5c/4EqWsDVlQns/s1600/Cow+pie1b+up+top+by+trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q1e2ESRnzr8/Uhb10UHLZ2I/AAAAAAAAB5c/4EqWsDVlQns/s400/Cow+pie1b+up+top+by+trail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kjIwW24Nmj8/Uhb2RGnqfNI/AAAAAAAAB5k/5CQB3uTssGE/s1600/Cow+pie2+up+top+by+trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kjIwW24Nmj8/Uhb2RGnqfNI/AAAAAAAAB5k/5CQB3uTssGE/s400/Cow+pie2+up+top+by+trail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Two Cow Pies up on trail to the east of the water supply diversion at Elk Creek. &nbsp;They look older than a week, but less than two months old. If modern science can radiocarbon date a dinosaur bone that is millions of years old, one might expect that they can date a cow pie of recent origin? &nbsp;Maybe it isn't sensitive enough for that.<br /><br />One can though, do research on the published scientific findings from studies published on the internet. Reading through the findings may be challenging for some, but I encourage everyone to do so. It is not entertainment unless you have a fondness for facts, but it can be enlightening. Here are some of those findings (Direct quotations are in italics with underlining added, all misunderstandings obviously my own):<br /><br />1) &nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">From&nbsp;<a href="http://theses.ucalgary.ca/bitstream/11023/506/2/ucalgary_2013_ruecker_norma.pdf">Genotyping <i>Cryptosporidium </i>from water to source track fecal contaminationin agricultural watersheds</a>&nbsp;from a Thesis by&nbsp;Norma Jean Ruecker,&nbsp;UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY,&nbsp;JANUARY, 2013. (I rely on this first because it is recent and incorporates information from many previous studies.)</span><br /><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i>Species originating from wildlife represented a low&nbsp;risk to human health.&nbsp;</i></span></div></span></li><li><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Molecular tools exist&nbsp;for effective molecular characterization of&nbsp;<i>Cryptosporidium </i>oocysts in water so as to identify&nbsp;host sources and individual&nbsp;species or genotypes (paraphrased).&nbsp;<i>It is ... important that the molecular tools used for characterizing&nbsp;human isolates <u>are capable of detecting all known species/genotypes of Cryptosporidium</u>.</i>&nbsp;In other words, the ability exists to make decisions about the probable cause of a crypto outbreak, and to differentiate between pathogenic and non pathogenic species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium in your water supply and in fecal samples tested.</span></div></li><li><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Ultimately, these approaches can be used to characterize sources of&nbsp;fecal pollution in the environment and aid in the development of mitigation strategies&nbsp;focused on reducing the burden of Cryptosporidium in drinking water sources in an effort&nbsp;to protect public health.</i></span></div></li><li><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>A thorough review of the published surveys of Cryptosporidium in cattle&nbsp;reported prevalence ranges from 0 to 100% <u>with typically higher rates in younger animals&nbsp;compared to older ones</u>.</i></span></div></li><li><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">With C. parvum being the only cattle-associated species which has&nbsp;been demonstrated to be a significant zoonotic risk to humans [a human pathogen--cause of disease in humans], the knowledge of age dependent&nbsp;prevalence challenges the current understanding of the risk that cattle&nbsp;associated Cryptosporidium spp. pose to public health.</span></i></div></li><li><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As C. parvum has been detected in all the major livestock species, it poses the greatest&nbsp;risk for zoonotic transmission to humans.&nbsp;Pre-weaned calves are considered the major animal host for C. parvum&nbsp;</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>and the most likely source of zoonotic cryptosporidiosis. </i>[Although <u>Cryptosporidium parvum</u> does exist in weaned calves. Chris]</span></div></li><li><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>recently </i><u style="font-style: italic;">as many as 25 species and close to 50 genotypes</u><i>&nbsp;</i>[of Cryptosporidium]&nbsp;<i>have been described. This&nbsp;</i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">information provides a solid framework for assessing public health risks and also allows&nbsp;</span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tracking of the host sources associated with Cryptosporidium contamination in the</span></i></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">environment.</span></i></div></li><li><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>The species of high risk to human health were present in only 1.2% of the&nbsp;samples analyzed.&nbsp;<u>This knowledge challenges the LT2ESWTR regulation in the US by&nbsp;providing evidence that the regulation may be overprotective, leading, in some cases, to&nbsp;unnecessary capital expenditures for water utilities.&nbsp;</u></i></span>Of the 25 species and&nbsp;~50 genotypes of Cryptosporidium described, <u>only 2 species, C. hominis and C. parvum,&nbsp;account for 95% of human clinical infections</u>. Only a few other Cryptosporidium&nbsp;species and genotypes account for all other clinical infections in humans. This study&nbsp;demonstrates that <u>although 45% of all the water samples analyzed had&nbsp;Cryptosporidium&nbsp;oocysts detected, only 17% of the samples had species or genotypes detected which have&nbsp;been associated with human infections</u>.&nbsp;Species of Cryptosporidium that are considered to be of high risk to humans:&nbsp;C. hominis and C. parvum. Two others are medium risk and three are low risk. The rest are considered no risk.</i></span></div></li><li><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>sustained viability [of crypto oocysts] is dependent upon the environmental&nbsp;conditions they are exposed to (i.e., solar UV inactivation, dessication, fermentation). </i>[I would add freezing--see later citation]</span></div></li><li><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It is a conclusion of this thesis that until improved and more accurate&nbsp;models can be developed, <u>Cryptosporidium monitoring including genotyping is the only&nbsp;reliable way to assess parasite loading in surface water.</u>&nbsp;</span></i></div></li><li><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hazard identification is considered the central element, or foundational basis, of&nbsp;the risk assessment framework from which the other components are derived. . . . .<u>Simply put, not all Cryptosporidium parasites observed in&nbsp;water are infectious to humans. Even when considering those that are hazardous to&nbsp;humans, a relative level of risk exists (i.e., high, medium, low).</u></span></i></div></li><li><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>detection and subsequent molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium</i></span>&nbsp;</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><i><u>oocysts in water can be used to infer potential host sources of fecal pollution impacting water quality within a watershed,</u> an extremely important part of the risk mitigation element of the risk assessment framework. <u>Identifying the sources of pollution contributing to the Cryptosporidium burden allows for the development of watershed protection strategies designed to reduce or mitigate these environmental burdens.</u></i></span><br /></li><li><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">data presented in this thesis suggests that <u>wildlife appear&nbsp;to represent little risk to public health</u> in the development of cryptosporidiosis in humans.&nbsp;In this context, <u>management of wildlife may not be necessary or worthwhile in terms of&nbsp;risk mitigation for some drinking water systems.</u></span></i></div></li><li><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the Water Research</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>&nbsp;Foundation (financially supported by water utility subscribers) initiated a request for proposals entitled: “Selecting and Standardizing the Most Appropriate Cryptosporidium Genotyping Tool for Regulatory Compliance Monitoring”, in 2009, with the intent of developing a validated Cryptosporidium genotyping tool suitable for inclusion into the regulatory water quality monitoring frameworks of the USEPA (LT2ESWTR)</i></span></div></li><li><i>Regulators of the water industry are likely to remain risk adverse and therefore&nbsp;moving forward, municipal water utilities will continue to challenge regulation through&nbsp;the use of applied science. This will be driven by the need for municipalities to balance&nbsp;fiscal responsibility with public health safety.</i></li></ul><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>2)&nbsp;<a href="https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/jeq/abstracts/28/6/JEQ0280061991"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">Giardia Cyst and Cryptosporidium Oocyst&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">Survival in Water, Soil, and Cattle Feces</span></a></i></span></div><ul><li><i>Cryptosporidium oocysts were more environmentally resistant.&nbsp;At −4 and 4°C, the oocysts could survive in water and soil for 12 wk but degradation was&nbsp;accelerated at 25°C. Cryptosporidium oocysts also were degraded more rapidly in feces and&nbsp;in soil containing natural microorganisms.</i> [Crypto oocysts survive for over three months in water at 24.8 and 39.2 degrees fahrenheit, as might be expected in frozen and unfrozen water, and under a blanket of snow. Most microorganisms are not going to be very active at 24.8 degrees and so will not be degrading crypto oocysts.]</li></ul>3)<i>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC167911/pdf/621431.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span">Effects of Low Temperatures on Viability of</span>&nbsp;Cryptosporidium parvum Oocysts</a></i><br /><ul><li><div style="font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>All mice that received oocysts frozen at -10 </i>[degrees]<i>&nbsp;C &nbsp;&nbsp;</i>[14 degrees fahrenheit]<i> for 8, 24, and 168 h and those that received&nbsp;</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>oocysts stored at 5 </i>[degrees]<i>&nbsp;C for 168 h had developmental-stage parasites. These findings &nbsp;demonstrate for the first time&nbsp;</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-style: italic;">that oocysts of C. parvum in water can retain viability and infectivity after freezing and that oocysts survive&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-style: italic;">longer at higher freezing temperatures.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;[This implies that oocysts may survive at 14 degrees F for some time]</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div></li><li>I<i>n&nbsp;nature, survival of oocysts might be extended beyond the times&nbsp;observed in the present study when water containing minerals&nbsp;or organic material is frozen or when oocysts are frozen at&nbsp;temperatures above -10 [degrees]C&nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>&nbsp;</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">[14 degrees fahrenheit]</span>. Such conditions might be found in&nbsp;areas where, after ground temperatures fall to just below freezing,&nbsp;a layer of snow insulates that surface from much colder air&nbsp;temperatures, enabling oocysts to survive perhaps for weeks or&nbsp;months.</i></li></ul><div>4)&nbsp;<a href="http://pubs.usgs.gov/tm/2005/tm2a3/pdf/Book2_Collection%20of%20Environmental%20Data.pdf"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Selection and Application of Microbial&nbsp;Source Tracking Tools For Water-Quality&nbsp;Investigations</span></i></a></div><div>Cryptosporidium oocysts:&nbsp;</div><ul><li><i>Can remain viable for <u>greater than 6 months</u> at 20 degrees Celsius in water (Fayer and others, 2000.&nbsp;</i></li><li><i>In three environmental freshwaters, 0.1% survival over 10 weeks at 25 degrees and higher rates of survival at 4 degrees (Simmons and Sobsey, 2002).&nbsp;</i></li><li><i>Survival and infectivity in freshwater detected after more than 12 weeks (Olson and others 1999).</i></li></ul>5) <a href="http://www.pcwp.tamu.edu/docs/lshs/end-notes/overland%20and%20near-surface%20transport%20of%20cryptosporidium%20parvum-1584563276/overland%20and%20near-surface%20transport%20of%20cryptosporidium%20parvum.pdf"><i>Surface Water Quality--Overland and Near-Surface Transport of Cryptosporidium parvum from Vegetated and Nonvegetated Surfaces</i></a><br /><div><ul><li><div style="font: 10.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Livestock, both&nbsp;open range and those in concentrated animal facilities,&nbsp;have been associated with high concentrations of C. parvum. . . . .&nbsp;<u>Infected animals can pass as many as <b>10 billion oocysts per gram</b> of feces, and a small number of infected animals can produce enough oocysts to potentially contaminate a large water source</u>. </i>[This goes a long way toward explaining how a small amount of infected fecal material from an infected calf in a water supply could contaminate the water around, say, a water supply intake in a small creek.]</span></div></li></ul></div><div>6)&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=205590&amp;pf=1"><i>Cryptosporidiosis of Livestock</i></a><br /><ul><li><i>C. parvum, C. andersoni, C. canis, C. felis, C. hominis, and C. suis, have been reported in human infections.</i> [The vast majority by C. parvum and C. hominis]</li><i>. . . in order to accurately&nbsp;assess the risk that livestock might pose to humans, molecular-based prevalence studies are necessary. Such studies could help to identify potential source of these organisms causing human infection, and lead to improved control strategies. Greater understanding of the species and genotypes present in animals and the patterns of transmission can improve our ability to control these infections will hopefully result in significant benefits to society in terms of both animal and human health. </i></ul>7) &nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1265995/">Concentrations of Pathogens and Indicators in Animal Feces in the&nbsp;Sydney Watershed</a></span><br /><br /><div style="font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Pathogen&nbsp;</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>and fecal indicator concentrations were generally higher in domestic animal feces than in wildlife feces. <u>Future&nbsp;</u></i></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>studies to quantify potential pathogen risks in drinking-water watersheds should thus focus on quantifying&nbsp;</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>pathogen loads from domestic animals and livestock rather than wildlife.</i></span></u></li></ul>Lastly: On Cryptosporidium detection limits:</div><div>8)&nbsp; <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC183876/">Effects of Time and Watershed Characteristics on the Concentration of Cryptosporidium Oocysts in River Water</a></div><ul><li><i>. . . &nbsp;the detection limit of the analytical method, about 0.1 oocysts per liter; . . . .</i>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul><div>_____</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><a href="http://youtu.be/6I4qbMNN7Nw"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Wallowa Wolverine</span></a></div></div><div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6I4qbMNN7Nw" width="425"></iframe></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">__</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font: 24.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://youtu.be/sgSfCxq0hdY">Corrupt Cops Caught by Their Own Cruiser Camera!!!</a></span></span></div></div><div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sgSfCxq0hdY" width="425"></iframe></span></div></div><div><br /></div><div>AP Article on Incident:<br /><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: 10.5px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b>Flight recorders found in deadly UPS plane crash</b></div><div style="color: #33373a; font: 21.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b>Sheriff says FBI to probe activist traffic stop</b></div><div style="color: #33373a; font: 10.5px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b>Published: August 14, 2013</b></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b style="color: #33373a;"></b></div><div style="color: #33373a; font: 10.5px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b style="color: #33373a;">By JEFF BARNARD — Associated Press</b></div><b style="color: #33373a;"></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: 10.5px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b style="color: #33373a;">GRANTS PASS, Ore. — <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div><b style="color: #33373a;"></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: 10.5px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b style="color: #33373a;">. . . .</b></div><b style="color: #33373a;"></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: 10.5px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b style="color: #33373a;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>"We are sending all information and recordings that we have (to the FBI) and they will look at it," Sheriff</i></span></b></div><b style="color: #33373a;"></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: 10.5px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b style="color: #33373a;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div><b style="color: #33373a;"></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: 10.5px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b style="color: #33373a;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Brian E. Wolfe told The Associated Press in an email.</i></span></b></div><b style="color: #33373a;"></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: 10.5px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b style="color: #33373a;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div><b style="color: #33373a;"></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: 10.5px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b style="color: #33373a;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>"I want to make sure nothing was done wrong," he said.</i></span></b></div><b style="color: #33373a;"></b><b style="color: #33373a;"></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b style="color: #33373a;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>. . . .</i></span></b></div><b style="color: #33373a;"></b><br /><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b style="color: #33373a;"></b><b></b></div><div style="color: #33373a; display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Wolfe acknowledged that two deputies, acting on orders from a supervisor, pulled over Steve Hindi, . . . .</span></i></b></div><b></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></i></b></div><b></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Wolfe said there was no traffic violation or evidence of any other crime.</i></span></b></div><b></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div><b></b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Deputy Brian Belnap and Deputy Brian Beck were on duty and following orders from their supervisor, Lt. Rob Hunsucker, Wolfe said. There was no probable cause a crime or traffic violation had been committed.</span></i><b></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div><b></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>No one has been disciplined or placed on leave, he said.</i></span></b></div><b></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><br /></b></div><b></b><br /><div style="color: #33373a; font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>. . . .</b></div><b></b></div>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/some-cryptic-aspects-of-crypto-outbreak.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-9149099467528527212Tue, 20 Aug 2013 03:42:00 +00002013-08-22T18:10:56.597-07:00Baker City Cryptosporidium OutbreakCattleCOWSDrinking Waterpublic healthOld and New Cow Pies Found Near Elk Creek Intake of Baker City Watershed.[Edited 8/20&amp;22/13]<br /><br />Councilors Dennis Dorrah and Clair Button allowed me to go with them on a ground survey of the Elk Creek drainage portion of the Baker City Watershed today. The water supply just above the Elk Creek diversion is where the 913 crypto oocysts turned up in a ten liter sample taken on August 4, 2013. I had wanted to look things over since the water supply intake is very close to a cattle allotment fence on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, and I had raised the idea that, because of that fact, cows had emerged as a suspect in the mystery concerning the source of Baker City's recent Cryptosporidium outbreak. See:<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/new-suspects-in-baker-city.html">New Suspects in Baker City Cryptosporidium Case?</a></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dvqx-xWOtrU/UhLK1Yoxi3I/AAAAAAAAB34/UWcDmffYXys/s1600/Cows+in+grazing+allotment+next+to+watershed-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dvqx-xWOtrU/UhLK1Yoxi3I/AAAAAAAAB34/UWcDmffYXys/s400/Cows+in+grazing+allotment+next+to+watershed-lg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;This cow and her calf were just inside the gate that keeps vehicles out of the watershed, a hundred yards or two from the diversion, but presently outside the rickety old watershed fence. We were told they were not supposed to be in this pasture until September, and even though the permittee fixed a hole in the fence last week three cows and their calves are still here next to the watershed fence.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Cows are a well known carrier of crypto (as opposed to say, ex-Councilor Sam Bass, who is not a <u>known</u> carrier of crypto, despite what you might hear), but as Dennis Dorrah commented to myself and Clair Button today (paraphrasing), the city doesn't seem to be taking cows seriously. Jake Jones, who takes care of the watershed, told us today that 6 cows (3 cow/calf pairs) had been found inside the watershed last week. He said he contacted the rancher who came and retrieved them, and also repaired a hole in the fence. I had been previously assured that cattle entry was infrequent and I believe we were told the same today. I will cover more of this issue later on the blog.&nbsp;</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Councilor Clair Button knows cows. Clair is not just a botanist--in his career job with the BLM he was also called upon at least occasionally to ride herd on ranchers and their cows, which can be a pretty difficult job, given the local politics in cow-raising counties with public land grazing allotments. &nbsp;I know cows too. I've been &nbsp;watching them be in the wrong place at the wrong time for 30 some years in my travels throughout the West, and in monitoring grazing damage in western streams. &nbsp;I spent about ten years nearly alone watching them be in the wrong place at the wrong time over on the Malheur National Forest while I spent my retirement money mostly volunteering by myself and then for the Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) on a few different grazing lawsuits whose central issue was grazing damage to public resources. ONDA recently won <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/161557364/Environmental-Groups-Receive-1-25-Million-in-Grazing-Case">$1.25 million dollars in fees</a> for a lawsuit that I spent several years of my life working on. I think it is fair to say, that because I did the major portion of the monitoring, data collection, and laborious report making, which was accepted by the courts, that I too, know a bit about grazing. (Don't worry about me getting lifted out of poverty, ONDA hasn't offered me a nickel of the settlement so that I could help continue that work.) Dennis too, has spent his life in Oregon. He knows a cow pie from an apple pie too, and he saw a lot of the former today. &nbsp;I'm betting you know the difference as well, but does the city staff? &nbsp;Of course they do! &nbsp;They know these hills and the watershed better than I do, but politics, denial and job security are powerful forces to be reckoned with.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">OK, so we all know something about cows and cow pies, and today we found not just cow pies in the watershed, we found new cow pies and old cow pies--those of recent trespass, and those from last year and perhaps before.&nbsp;</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vs-YcyjOLL4/UhLNhFeaTxI/AAAAAAAAB4E/-t53iKcwqOU/s1600/Councilors+and+Watershed+Personnell+lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vs-YcyjOLL4/UhLNhFeaTxI/AAAAAAAAB4E/-t53iKcwqOU/s400/Councilors+and+Watershed+Personnell+lg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This photo shows the two Councilors and watershed personnel inspecting the Elkhorn Creek diversion to the Baker City water supply <u>inside</u> the Baker City watershed. &nbsp;In the foreground are three, possibly cryptosporidium laden, droppings from a recent visit by cows who are not supposed to be in the watershed. The watershed, after all, is protected by an old rickety fence, the rancher/permittee, the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, and city personnel.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>A little later, Councilors Dorrah, Button, and I, hiked overland (trail-less) across the diversion and up the steep slopes of the watershed to the west. &nbsp;They hiked up the steep slopes like a pair of mountain goats, and even though Councilor Dorrah is five years older than I, a&nbsp;few weeks old blister on the ball of my foot got re-aggravated, so I wimped out and returned to where I wanted to be anyway, the area where we had seen the cow sign previously. I was &nbsp;glad it happened as we were able to document more of the problem area between the two parties. They eventually came back around, after an arduous hike, to the spring we had noticed earlier as we viewed things on the east side from the west side above the creek. When I came back down, I was able to inspect the trails I had seen earlier going up near the east side of Elk Creek.<br /><br />We all saw limited quantities of elk and deer droppings well dispersed in the watershed and Clair saw fresh elk droppings at "two sedge bog springs very close to the stream that were getting significant elk use, and water from the bogs definitely drained into the stream."&nbsp;Cow pies were seen by Dennis and Clair up the slope below a spring and the road overlooking the diversion, and I found them on the trail near the creek above the diversion. I documented cow pies and cow trails from the area around the diversion on upstream for about 1/4 to 1/3 mile. Cow pies (scat, droppings), most, but not all, from earlier years, were a common sight.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZI6F8j5gi80/UhLcNIbTf6I/AAAAAAAAB4U/SonUjcepFgI/s1600/cow+leavings+on+cow+trail+heading+upstream-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZI6F8j5gi80/UhLcNIbTf6I/AAAAAAAAB4U/SonUjcepFgI/s640/cow+leavings+on+cow+trail+heading+upstream-lg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Fairly fresh cow leavings on cow trail heading upstream within the watershed from the area about 50 feet east of the Elk Creek diversion.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">As I went up the trail on the east side of Elk Creek I found numerous cow pies, most from previous years but two from the current year. &nbsp;About 1/4 to 1/3 mile upstream I came to an area that was open to cows that led down to the creek. There was an eroded cow trail evident, and at the bottom were pieces of cow pies from last year or previous, that had washed down within about 15 feet from the creek. I followed and filmed and found this: a washed-out cow pie, probably from last fall, &nbsp;as well as a companion a few yards north, sitting on the bank just above the creek.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HzBCahfJjrA/Uha06L8GI0I/AAAAAAAAB5M/yXBAW6r7mJg/s1600/Older+cow+pie+found+on+the+trail+to+the+N+of+Elk+Creek+Diversion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HzBCahfJjrA/Uha06L8GI0I/AAAAAAAAB5M/yXBAW6r7mJg/s640/Older+cow+pie+found+on+the+trail+to+the+N+of+Elk+Creek+Diversion.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">One of the older cow pies found on the trail above the Elk Creek diversion</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Bn-AZdOnOk/UhaxZmzvpCI/AAAAAAAAB5A/icNwMsCFW-g/s1600/Cowtrail+to+water1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Bn-AZdOnOk/UhaxZmzvpCI/AAAAAAAAB5A/icNwMsCFW-g/s1600/Cowtrail+to+water1.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Lower portion of eroding cow trail leading down to Elk Creek</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n3zOY1gOJPs/UhatUYcu4tI/AAAAAAAAB40/1AgRQ-aFdr0/s1600/New+Cow+pie+within+high+water+level+of+Elk+Creek-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n3zOY1gOJPs/UhatUYcu4tI/AAAAAAAAB40/1AgRQ-aFdr0/s400/New+Cow+pie+within+high+water+level+of+Elk+Creek-lg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Cow Pie within high water level of Elk Creek, about 1/4 to 1/3 mile above diversion in watershed. It sits on current bank above Elk Creek.&nbsp;It is the gray blob in the right hand portion of the photo, with Elk Creek flowing just below to the left in photo.&nbsp; There is another cow pie situated similarly on the bank just above the current flow level of the creek about 3 to 4 feet upstream. This is well within the high water level of the creek and could also be affected by other high precipitation events, such as the one in mid-June, where the possibility exists for runoff into Elk Creek. &nbsp;Runoff from the many other cow pies noted could also possibly affect crypto levels within this Baker City water supply drainage.&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">[I checked my own records, and there was a significant precipitation event on June 19, followed by others of lesser quantities. A city staff person had mentioned mid-July, but weather service records do not show one occurring then. Edited 8/22/13.]</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">I will add more information and evidence later, either under this particular blog title, or under a new rewritten blog.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">There is much more to think about concerning our small community's safe water future, not the least of which is the high initial cost and yearly maintenance costs of filtration as opposed to the much lower initial cost and yearly maintenance costs of UV treatment. Also for consideration--are we going to protect our watershed from cows, or are we going to be cowed by powerful interests?</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">_____</span></div><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/old-and-new-cowpies-found-near-elk.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-166378433345069388Mon, 12 Aug 2013 07:58:00 +00002013-08-13T10:17:01.907-07:00Baker City Cryptosporidium OutbreakBaker City OregonCryptosporidiumCryptosporidium meetingDrinking Waterwater monitoringWater treatmentYouTube Videos from the August 8, 2013 Special Baker City public meeting on Cryptosporidium outbreak[Editted 8/13/13]&nbsp; Below are the YouTube Videos from the August 8, 2013 Special Baker City public meeting on the Cryptosporidium outbreak. If you have already viewed some of them on YouTube, please note that I have attempted to renumber them according to their order of occurrence at the meeting. I have finally been able to find the time to process, describe, tag, and upload them all (very time consuming). Again, these videos were taken with poor stage lighting and with no additional illumination, but they are generally acceptable for viewing and the sound is OK if you set your computer to full volume. They are best viewed on YouTube. To watch on YouTube you can click on the title link for the segment. The YouTube embed feature wasn't working for me earlier and the images create a long blog download for people with limited connection speeds, so I've only used two embedded video.<br /><br />Sometimes the most interesting comes last, so you might want to view the <a href="http://youtu.be/Gs19JPmsLzA">last segment</a> first. <br />__<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/3leBRREsmso">Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 1: Intro, Baker City, OR 080813</a><br />&nbsp;<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3leBRREsmso" width="420"></iframe> <br />Mayor Langrell opened and explained the nature of the meeting before turning it over to City manager Mike Kee who presented the agenda and provided a summary timeline that was similar to the information in his August 2, 2013 Weekly Update. He also provided the results of the Cryptosporidium tests that have occurred during the Crypto "crisis."<br />Somewhat dim and grainy due to low light on Baker City High School auditorium stage but best video possible under the conditions. <br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/FpwrSkZgvm8">Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 2 Alicia Hills, from the Baker County Health Department&nbsp;</a><br /><br />Alicia Hills, from the Baker County Health Department, spoke about the 15 confirmed Crypto cases and the "About Cryptosporidiosis" flyer that has been made available to residents and visitors which lists recommendations and suggestions for staying safe during Baker City's Crypto crisis<br />--<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/hN3VguIMMng">Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 3: Michelle Owen's Report 080813&nbsp;</a><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Michelle Owen, Baker City's Public Works Director, adds details to Cryptosporidium timeline and offers additional information at the Baker City Crypto Meeting 080813.</span></span><br />--<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/Ms22vJ_o6bo">Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 4: Heidi Dalton Discusses Pool Safety and Reasons for Pool Closure</a><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Heidi Dalton explains the rationale behind the decision to keep the Sam-O-Swim pool facility closed, i.e., the risks spreading Cryptosporidium infection by keeping it open were too high. They will do the usual September maintenance during the current closure period.</span></span><br />__<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/2rGhzME-0oM">Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 5: Bill Goss Talks About Boil Water Order in Baker City 080813</a><br /><br />&nbsp;In talk to residents about the Boil Water Order issued for Baker City. OR, Bill Goss from the Drinking Water Program at the Oregon Health Authority says that "No one is to be blamed for this event" and that "It's going to take a bit of time to really figure out exactly what happened and how to resolve it.." &nbsp;In order for the state issued boil water order to be lifted, he said "We would need two consecutive samples from each of the drainage intakes that are in use, and also two consecutive samples that show no oocysts from the three locations in the distribution system. So we're looking for water with zero detections of of Cryptosporidium (Crypto).<br /><br />He also says the state and city will develop an ongoing monitoring program for Cryptosporidium. [Crypto had been found in small numbers during required monitoring back in 2010-2011, but the city quit monitoring for Crypto in 2011 because they were no longer required to do so.--Chris]<br /><br />He talked about the fact that approved treatments (including UV and filtration) would remove 99.9% of Crypto oocysts but that treatments do not "completely eliminate the risk of exposure" but does meet drinking water standards. While talking about what people can do to be safe, he reiterated that ". . . There is no way to completely eliminate the risk of exposure to this parasite" and said that "Boiling is the only way to kill all Cryptosporidium cysts."<br />__<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/t9bLM6r4SIU">Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 6: Michelle Owen Talks About Water Treatment Solutions 080813&nbsp;</a><br /><br />Baker City Public Works Director Michelle Owen speaks to residents about several proposed solutions for providing safe drinking water for Baker City, Oregon during a public meeting. These include Long-term, Mid-term, and Short-term solutions.<br /><br />Long-term: &nbsp;The city is moving forward with an expedited schedule for installing the UV water treatment facility to remove 99.9% of Cryptosporidium oocysts from our water. &nbsp;This plan meets current standards and was approved by the state of Oregon.<br /><br />Mid-term: &nbsp;Drilling or acquiring supplementary wells for additional water sources to meet contingencies. Well water is normally free of Cryptosporidium and would provide clean additional back-up water that would be helpful in emergencies.<br /><br />Short-term: &nbsp;People can by home filtration systems to provide additional safety, currently and in the future. Additionally, the city is contemplating borrowing portable membrane or UV filtration systems to treat sizable quantities of water to provide for citizens until the current emergency situation is resolved.<br />__<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/h_dEaYrTfXY">Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 7: Brian Black of HDR Talks About UV Treatment Facility 080813&nbsp;</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/bryan-black/3a/7ab/141">Brian Black</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDR,_Inc.">HDR</a> Engineering told the audience at the special Baker City meeting on the Cryptosporidium outbreak about the accelerated schedule for installing the already planned UV treatment facility for the Baker City drinking water supply. He noted that due to the accelerated schedule, decisions have to be made rather quickly by both the state and the city so that things can get going in August (this month).<br /><br />The schedule consists of:<br />- Have design completed and "have construction contractors bid on the work in early spring--march of next year."<br />- Have UV plant "under construction in the summer."<br />- "facility would be ready for operation in the summer of 2015."<br />- Will work with city to attempt to "get the entire project completed before these dates.<br />__<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/XPTkhvsSs1M">Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 8:; Q and A Segment 1; 080813</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">1st segment of a long question and answer period at the Baker City Cryptosporidium Meeting,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">This segment begins with a statement By Public Works Director Michelle Owen that we do not have the money available to pay for accelerated construction of the UV treatment plan. [Remember that our City Councils have been piddling away available dollars on underground utilities for the businesses on Resort Street, the Scenic Vista water tanks, the golf course, and etc. -- Chris]</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">Mayor Richard Langrell asks questions derived from the written questions residents had turned in at the beginning of the meeting. He says the number one question is "What is the city planning to do to compensate for hospital stays, loss of work, or damages done to businesses. . . ." City Manager Kee stated that is is a "Council Decision" and discusses insurance issues. He says that ". . .insurance won't accept claims for interruption of business or emergency room business. . . ."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">There were questions about communication issues like the reverse 911 system to notify citizens about the presence of Crypto in the water. Mike Kee said that the system allowed them to "reach 58%" of people registered in the system, and Michelle owen said that folks can sign up at Baker911.org.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">Councilor Mosier asked whether we were likely to reach the zero oocysts in the water requirement given that "most often some oocysts exist in the system." Bill Goss from the OHA Drinking Water Program essentially says that it may take a considerable amount of time to reach the zero oocyst requirement, although the 2010-2011 testing met that requirement most of the time. Mike Kee comments on difficulties and that the city will submit a plan to the Oregon Health Authority. Mayor Langrell addresses questions about city water quality testing and explains that they had continued testing, but not for Cryptosporidium [after required testing ended in 2011]. He explains that the city is going to look at getting UV "online a little quicker."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">And more. . . .</span>&nbsp;</span></span><br />__<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/-rYtGRLsKkU">Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 9 Q and A Segment 2; 080813</a><br /><br />This is the second segment of questions and answers before Mayor Langrell opens up live questioning from the assembled residents at the Baker City meeting on the Cryptosporidium outbreak.<br /><br />In response to a question from Councilor Button, Bill Goss of the Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Program states that actual valid crypto testing recovery rates vary between 13 to 111 percent--". . . the results frankly have a pretty big margin of error, so you might find one or two cysts by the tests method, but there could be quite a few more that were not detected. That's one reason why we're also looking for zero in the samples, because even at zero, there could be one or two cysts that didn't get detected. . . ."<br /><br />Mayor Langrell then talks about economic damage to the community and some rumors he's encountered about the mountain goats in the vicinity of Goodrich Reservoir.<br />__<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/6Av-h9PIKTs">Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 10 Q and A Segment 3; 080813</a><br /><br />Residents at the Cryptosporidium Baker City meeting ask questions to city staff and Councilors. If the questions aren't in quotes they are paraphrased.<br /><br />Jennifer Johnson: Asked "How are you going to assure our children are safe?"<br /><br />Jim Thomas: Wanted to know why the city hasn't done anything about installing treatment sice they have known about it since at least December 2009 and why it hasn't been important enough to get something done "before suddenly we've got people sick." Also wondered "how prepared is this city to deal with a lawsuit?"<br /><br />Milo Pope, lawyer, retired Judge and former City Councilor: &nbsp;Asked why, if his statement of facts is true, which included that our engineering firm, HDR, had recommended to install UV treatment to handle drinking water disinfection, that in in Council votes, the Council majority, led by Dennis Dorrah and Roger Coles, had previously always voted against installing it.<br />__<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/sdj3DVHSLGQ">Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 11 Q and A Segment 4; 080813</a><br />Residents at the Cryptosporidium Baker City meeting ask questions to city staff and Councilors. <br /><br />Residents asking questions if I could hear or understand what they said were:<br />[again, questions paraphrased]<br /><br />Linda Ross: Asks what significance is attached to finding 913 oocysts at the Elkhorn Diversion to the water supply<br /><br />Ed Shorts asked additional questions on the life cycle and life span of Cryptosporidium in or out of the water, and Bill Goss and Mayor Langrell answer.<br /><br />Vernon Hull asks questions about a seeming delay in the County Health Department notifying the City.<br /><br />Mel Conaway wanted to know how Crypo in the water affects garden produce and fruit trees and if any precautions need to be taken.<br /><br />City Planning Commissioner Wayne Wall Stated that "As a community, I think we're looking for somebody to say "Yeah, it's our fault. I think we are looking for some kind of culpability." He also noted the length of time we've been aware of the problem and need, and asked--"Why didn't we have a filtration system in place so that we don't have to deal with this?"<br /><br />Stephanie shared that she and members of her family had been sick for several weeks but didn't go to the hospital because she couldn't afford the insurance co-pay. She asked "If the city knew about it, . . . why was the city not taking the proper precautions. . . to prevent this type of thing." She knew hundreds of people who were ill. "Why weren't you trying to prevent it--Be a little bit pro-active."<br /><br />Len (or Glen?) Green had questions about calls to Alicia Hills and due diligence at County Health about the actual numbers of people that are ill. Alicia Hills explained efforts they are taking. He also asked "How many samples do you take weekly and at how many intakes?" Jake Jones answers the questions. Mr. Green also asked about whether there will be continuing monitoring for Cryptosporidium now and Bill Goss, from the Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Program, explained that we are in the process now of developing a sampling schedule for Cryptosporidium that will last until treatment is operational. <br />__<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/g4D8ikIs7H8">Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 12;&nbsp; Q and A Segment 5; 080813</a><br />Residents at the Cryptosporidium Baker City meeting ask questions to city staff and Councilors.<br /><br />Names of residents asking questions, if I could hear or understand what they said, were<br />[again, questions paraphrased]:<br /><br />Jason from Water Works in La Grande: Talks about some affordable certified household water filters and mentions that Water Works also drills and works on wells.<br /><br />Sarah Pelcha wanted to know what people can do to [clean and disinfect] once it is already in their home.<br /><br />Michelle had questions about how crypto can be spread person to person. She mentioned that Elkhorn Drilling is a local well driller.<br /><br />Judith Head asked "Is this a crisis?" "What can we do about it now?" She shared that she had been sick for three weeks and wanted to know if she could be reinfected. She told the audience that 6 pills for treatment of Cryptosporidiosis cost $164.00 and that her insurance only paid up $57.00.<br /><br />Answers were provided by Alicia Hills from the County Health Department, Mayor Langrell and City Staff.<br />__<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/rdl9X1500UA">Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 13&nbsp; Q and A Segment 6; 080813</a><br />Residents at the Cryptosporidium Baker City meeting ask questions to city staff and Councilors.<br /><br />Names of residents asking questions, if I could hear or understand what they said, were<br />[again, questions paraphrased]:<br /><br />Alicia Hills addresses last question from Judith Head at the end of last video.<br /><br />An unidentified woman from the audience asked County Health Department what do you do if we have it. . . tell us to go to the doctor and get pills we can't afford because we don't have money. . . .<br /><br />Another unidentified woman from the audience asks about help from the state and Governor.<br /><br />An unidentified woman from the audience again brought up that some people can't afford to go to the doctor or pay for medication, and asked what do you do then? Mike Kee responded that the pills don't do any good unless the patient is compromised. Mayor Langrell offers that the hospital is basically telling people to go home and are treating it a lot like they would the flue [if the patient is otherwise healthy I presume].<br /><br />Others in the audience had questions about the health safety of children at school. One asked "How are we going to make sure that the children don't have it before they go to school?"<br /><br />Sam Bass made a statement that the city staff :had been working their butts off" and "Some little bug comes along, slips in, 14 people get sick, and the whole town panics." He noted that he drinks the water, 6 glasses a day, and he doesn't have any problem.<br /><br />Councilor Downing spoke about the people he had knowledge of and about the existence of other diseases in town that also cause health issues. He noted that while he sympathized with people who had become ill from Crypto, "We need to remember. . . that we need to treat this just like any other flu epidemic, any other cold epidemic, especially with the kids going to school. . . ." like his.<br /><br />Linda Wall shared that she had gotten sick and asked the audience how many had experienced Crypto symptoms. She indicated after the meeting that her estimate of hands raised was between one quarter and one third.<br /><br />Jeff Strom, asked several questions about UV treatment and also about effective portable water purification systems in town and in businesses and markets, that the state had shut down. Also on budget issues. He noted that previous Council should have&nbsp; been taking the initiative and been requiring Crypto testing of the water. Bill Goss responds that the state was being overly cautious due to the situation. Mayor Langrell agreed and said that now there would be some serious crypto testing. The Mayor noted that after working with the state about disposing off our sewage affluent, the state has changed their mind about how to proceed.<br /><br />A state Department of Agriculture representative, the department that regulates the grocery stores and food processors, explained that out of an abundance of caution they had decided to shut down some of the water filtration filters used by business. They had spoken with Safeway and in a joint decision on the side of safety ("they would rather be safe than sorry") they decided to take the actions they did. She said that she was not aware of whether the water bottling stations in those facilities (I think Jeff was referring to portable water filtration machines like Glacier Water and Sterilox) are safe or not.<br /><br />Another unidentified woman in the audience complimented the city on providing clean fresh water for the public.<br />&nbsp;__<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/Gs19JPmsLzA">Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 14 Q and A Segment 7; 080813 </a><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Gs19JPmsLzA" width="420"></iframe><br /><div id="watch-description-clip" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; float: left; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 390px;"><div id="watch-description-text" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />Last segment. Residents at the Cryptosporidium Baker City meeting ask questions to city staff and Councilors.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mike Kee speaks to the safety of Baker City Restaurants and says the inspector says all of our restaurants are safe.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">A woman who spoke so fast I couldn't understand her name asked Councilor Coles why "back in 2001 you knew that there was Crypto in Baker City water, and you and Mr. Dorrah in particular, were adamant about asking for a variance from the state, and otherwise we would potentially already have the UV plant on line now."</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr. Coles responded that he doesn't believe "that UV is the total answer, and that has pretty much been said. 99.9%, I just don't buy into it. There was really no support for filtration. Really filtration is the end result down the road, and the other reason is that I won't rubber-stamp just because staff sends something across the desk--I won't do it--and I'm not going to jump on the first wagon in town. Now just this week we have found out, there is (sic) some comments being made through a website about sand filtration, which I was gonna ask our state man. .... The mayor covered it, and I don't know how many of you folks read the paper last night. I'm rather outspoken and that's the way it is." Councilor Coles goes on to say he was dissatisfied that our water wasn't tested and quotes the article which says that, unlike Baker City, Bend, OR employees continued to do Crypto monitoring every month since 2008 even though it wasn't required because they though it would be the best management practice and satisfy requirements for due diligence. Coles goes on to say that Bend is in the "same situation as the city of Baker, so I'll go back and say, like I did, I'm not sold on UV". [Well the same situation sort of. Both have a relatively clean water supply and both have some Crypto, but, according to Wiki, "Bend recorded a population of 76,693 at the time of the 2010 US Census, up from 52,029 at the 2000 census. The estimated population of Bend as of 2012 is 79,109." Ours, according to Census Quick Facts is 9,696. So they use probably 7 to 8 times the amount of water we use, and they have 7 to 8 times as many people to pay for it. Their tax base is huge with, according to Zillow, a median home price in June of $350,000, while Baker City's median home price was $159,000 in June. According to the census, our median income was $35,458 for the period 2007-2011, and Bend's was $52,596 for the same period. So, water quantity needing disinfection is massively different, they have many more people, who are much wealthier, and they have a larger tax base with higher property values--all of which gives them economies of scale and more and better options when it comes to choosing and paying for water treatment. Also, its not clear how Bend's testing relates to why Councilor Coles isn't "sold on UV."-Chris]</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Don't miss the important statements </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">by Bill Goss of the Oregon Water Authority </span></span>later in the segment. They announce a state review of our water treatment options and the review has the potential TO CHANGE EVERYTHING and make it impossible for Baker City to install the UV system that has, as of now, been presented as an affordable and effective water treatment option for Baker City!</span></span><br /><br />You can check for newly uploaded videos at my <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/refugee2000">YouTube Channel</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/refugee2000">http://www.youtube.com/user/refugee2000</a></div></div>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/more-youtube-videos-from-august-8-2013.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-2382489135513692151Fri, 09 Aug 2013 08:07:00 +00002013-08-11T23:21:00.733-07:00Baker City Cryptosporidium OutbreakcostCryptosporidiumDEQEPAOregon Health AuthorityregulationuncertaintyUV treatmentWater filtrationwater suppliesWater treatmentSpecial Baker City public meeting on Cryptosporidium outbreak raises as many questions as it answers[Editing essentially finished and added 1st video 11:45 AM, 8/9/13]<br /><br />&nbsp;I attended and filmed the special Baker City Public meeting on the Cryptosporidium outbreak tonight [8/8/13].&nbsp; I came away with more questions than answers as to how Baker City is to proceed in dealing with the crypto problem.&nbsp; I am going to make this short, certainly not an exhaustive account of what occurred, as downloading and processing the video takes quite a bit of time for an almost 3 hour meeting, and I need to review it. It will take additional time to produce any YouTube videos. So this will be a rather bare summary and outline, and just what I consider to be the most important points until I decide to go to sleep (which won't be long)--video and most analysis will come later. (This account is from notes taken and memory as I was trying to film the event, so I will correct any errors after I am able to review the video.)<br /><br />Mayor Langrell opened and explained the nature of the meeting before turning it over to City manager Mike Kee who presented the agenda and provided a summary timeline that was similar to the information in his <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/159090591/Baker-City-August-022013-Update">August 2, 2013 Weekly Update</a>. He also provided the results of the Cryptosporidium tests that have occurred during the Crypto "crisis."<br />Here is the video of City Manager Kee's introduction. It is somewhat dim and grainy due to low light on Baker City High School auditorium stage but best video possible under the conditions and the audio is acceptable. Best watched on YouTube by clicking this link:<br /><a href="http://youtu.be/3leBRREsmso">Crypto Meeting Intro, Baker City, OR 080713</a><br /><br /><a href="http://&lt;iframe width=&quot;420&quot; height=&quot;315&quot; src=&quot;//www.youtube.com/embed/3leBRREsmso&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3leBRREsmso" width="420"></iframe></a><br /><br />Alicia Hills, from the Baker County Health Department, spoke about the 15 confirmed Crypto cases and the <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/159167647/BCHD-About-Cryptosporidiosis">"About Cryptosporidiosis" flyer</a> that has been made available to residents and visitors which lists recommendations and suggestions for staying safe during Baker City's Crypto crisis. You can find the flyer <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/159167647/BCHD-About-Cryptosporidiosis">here</a>.<br /><br />Michelle Owens, Director of the Public Works Department talked about the need for water use curtailment, while reminding everyone that this is a great community to live in. ;-)<br /><br />Heidi Dalton talked about the decision to keep the Sam-O-Swim pool facility closed because the risks of keeping it open were too high. They will do the usual September maintenance during the current closure period.<br /><br />Bill Goss from the Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Program said that the outbreak was a naturally occurring event and that no one was to blame. He indicated that no one could predict when the no boil order would end as they will need tests results indicating that there are essentially zero Crypto oocysts in the water supply. He stated that an ongoing monitoring plan for Cryptosporidium will be instituted until a treatment facility is constructed that provides for 99.9% removal of Cryptosporidium oocysts, and that is must be in place by October of 2016. (The issue of why monitoring had not been continued after the initial round of testing ended in 2011 was brought up by citizens during the meeting.)<br /><br />To the best of my knowledge, Mr. Goss did not mention at this time that the state will be reviewing out treatment options which could result in the state imposing a treatment plan different from the 99.9 % effective UV treatment plan they had already recommended. <br /><br />Michelle Owen talked about solutions to the Crypto problem that the city was looking at.&nbsp; These included: <br /><ul><li>Long-term plan for UV treatment of Cryptosporidium.</li><li>Mid-term solution of finding or drilling additional supplementary water from wells (Wells are generally not be affected by Cryptosporidium.</li><li>Short-term solutions that include boiling, and borrowing a portable non-validated membrane filter unit.</li></ul>Brian Black from the HDR&nbsp; engineering firm talked about the accelerated schedule for the UV treatment facility. The schedule was to include:<br /><ul><li>Complete design and sighn-up contractor in early spring or earlier</li><li>Begin construction in the summer of 2014</li><li>Complete construction in summer of 2015</li></ul>The accelerated schedule would bring in a 99.9% effective UV facility a year before the current deadline.<br /><br />Mayor Langrell moderated a Q and A session with the audience but first discussed issues presented by some questions that had been submitted in writing by the audience. The ones he mentioned primarily had to do with whether the city [and its citizens], had a responsibility to compensate businesses that have suffered losses due to the present crisis.<br /><br />Some citizens related the problems they had encountered while suffering from Crypto, and asked why the city had delayed moving forward with UV treatment when we were told as early as 2009 that treatment was required. One of these, Linda Wall of Baker City, also had members of the large audience raise their hands if they had been dealing with the symptoms of Cryptosporidiosis. She estimated that about 1/4 to 1/3 of those present raised their hands.<br /><br />Former Councilor and Judge Milo Pope laid the responsibility for delay on Former Mayor and current Councilor Dennis Dorrah (who did not attend the meeting), Councilor Roger Coles, and other Councilors who had delayed providing treatment.<br /><br />There were many more interesting public comments that I will try to post as a YouTube video later.<br /><br />The bottom line, in terms of how we will move forward came when Councilor Coles gave a spirited rebuttal to Milo Pope's comments and then Mayor Langrell validated Councilor Coles comments that he couldn't see going forward at the time because DEQ might suddenly change the requirements in&nbsp; the future, even though Mayor Langrell had spoken about the accelerated schedule for UV earlier.&nbsp; I commented that I thought using that sort of speculation was a scare tactic and that given EPA approval of UV and current state direction there was no basis for it.&nbsp; Then, perhaps in response to questioning on that point by Councilor Mosier (have to check the video),&nbsp; Bill Goss from the State Health Authority said that a change in requirements was a possibility because the state was going to <u>review</u> the present outbreak and could possibly change their recommendation to the much more expensive $17M to $20M water filtration requirement and plant that costs over $300,000/year to maintain.<br /><br />I pointed out that we had spent the meeting talking about installing UV treatment, that is what the state has told us we need to install, and that filtration would cost significantly more than UV to install and maintain. I misspoke the figures as being in millions rather that thousands, but the point was that maintenance costs are still something like 25 times greater for filtration than for UV treatment, according to the 2009 figures provided to the city by HDR. <br /><br />When I asked him after the meeting about this announcement, after 80% of the meeting had been about the accelerated schedule for constructing the UV treatment plant, he told me that his announcement had been timely as the outbreak had only been going of for a few weeks, and he was there to talk about other things (i.e., the boil water order). We discussed a few other issues related to the state's review, but it is late so those will be discussed later, as will numerous comments by a very engaged audience.<br /><br />Given the late announcement of a state review, which Mr. Goss said will take about two months (or possibly 6 month to a year), I am at a loss to understand how the earlier presentations about an accelerated schedule for the installation of a UV water treatment facility were allowed to be presented, how they can move forward or be accomplished, and I am beginning to understand why local governments do not trust regulatory bodies like the DEQ or the Oregon Health Authority.&nbsp; How can Councilors or staff, left in limbo, commit resources to <u>any</u> solution, when the regulatory agencies reserve the right to waste the time and resources communities have committed by changing their mind--especially when such regulatory changes can bring financial ruin to many low income citizens and potentially even the to cities they live in?<br /><br />One searches for answers as to why the the feds and the state would impose such confusion and uncertainty on the cities and towns they have been given authority over when there are adequately safe, rational, and affordable solutions to the problems being faced. I also wonder if it isn't becoming clear that many government workers, from the federal to the local level, including as well some of our other financially comfortable citizens, have not simply become completely insensitive to the world and needs of low income people. I heard the folks tonight (now last night) who told their stories of not having health insurance and not being able to afford to go to the doctor, and some of those who could go to the doctor, couldn't afford the medications they needed to treat the cryptosporidiosis they suffered from. With the new push to force selection of unaffordable water treatment options, it is not clear whether some state, county, and city officials care if low income people can afford the quest for guaranteed safety at any cost that some of the comfortable apparently seek, and which ultimately places burdens [I. e., increases in water/sewer rates] on the poor that they cannot bear. Perhaps the regulators, developers, realtors, newspaper peddlers, merchants, and the wealthy, see an opportunity in ridding themselves of poor people by making their towns into places where the poor can't afford to live any more. A kinder, gentler, saner solution would be for them to buy a membrane filtration unit for their home and save the rest of us the expense of providing them with an incredibly small extra margin of safety. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">:-) Don't Saddle Me,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm Safe With UV!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Buy Your Own Damn Filter! ;-)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sorry about that, I'm in the sleepless zone.</div>More videos in a future blog when I figure out how to free disk space.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/special-baker-city-public-meeting-on.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-4903847259399649067Thu, 08 Aug 2013 19:34:00 +00002013-08-08T23:06:12.329-07:00Baker City Cryptosporidium OutbreakCattleCOWSCreyptosporidium parvumCryptosporidiumDrinking WaterElkNew Suspects in Baker City Cryptosporidium Case?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UqhC8IFgBzk/UgPey5S4ubI/AAAAAAAAB18/rhOTc6u3ODw/s1600/Cows+on+Forshey+Meadow-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UqhC8IFgBzk/UgPey5S4ubI/AAAAAAAAB18/rhOTc6u3ODw/s320/Cows+on+Forshey+Meadow-lg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Cows Grazing Where They Are Not Supposed To Be; Forshey Meadows, W-WNF<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GJPSEBfuN2k/UgPvNMILbQI/AAAAAAAAB2s/-c7eP8QEwO4/s1600/Elk1-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GJPSEBfuN2k/UgPvNMILbQI/AAAAAAAAB2s/-c7eP8QEwO4/s320/Elk1-lg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; "<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">A number of elk do congregate in the Elk Creek area."</span><br /><br />There was a rumor going round the last week or two about ODFW putting salt blocks near the shoreline or our Goodrich Reservoir water supply and that they were&nbsp; attracting the mountain goats to reservoir resulting in accumulations of scat. I spoke with Brian Ratliff, the ODFW Baker District Wildlife Biologist, yesterday and he explained that they only use salt blocks in the Goodrich Basin for about three days [at most] during annual goat roundups.&nbsp; These roundups have resulted in the removal of 226 mountain goats over the years since they were introduced in 1983. They place the salt blocks in buckets to keep salts out of the water supply during the 3-day roundups, but he also told me there is permanent natural salt lick in the basin near the lake that was exposed when earth-fill was removed to create the dam. The goats use it for much of the year. He said that goat scat and etc., may be pushed into the lake from winter avalanches because the goats are on the snow banks and avalanche shoots all winter long. At the request of the city, he said that ODFW had moved the trap site last year to a new site about 120 yards from the lake. They placed sediment barriers and sloped the site so that any runoff and sediment would flow away from the lake. I explained to him that I had been involved in cattle trespass grazing issues in the past where fences aren't maintained, gates are not closed, or trees fall over fences, and was wondering whether cows get into the watershed.&nbsp; He told me that ODFW was aware that cattle get into the watershed on a fairly regular basis. <br /><br />These facts could account for the relatively low concentration of crypto found at Goodrich in the initial August 2nd results. The latest results from the Goodrich line have not yet been reported on the city website and I don't know if they are all in as I write. [Update: Since I wrote this, the Herald has published an <a href="http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/Elk-Creek-water-sample-had-much-higher-level-of-crypto">article</a> reporting that the Aug. 4 sample from the Goodrich line contained no oocysts.] <br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal">I am aware of some new results that came in yesterday morning though, and, if what I have learned is correct (and I have no reason to doubt it-Others have seen similar official email flying around) they show a large number of Crypto oocysts were found at the Elk Creek Diversion near the southern end of the watershed. The number found is a few orders of magnitue greater than the average number of oocysts found elsewhere (913 oocysts, compared to 0, 1, or 2), with the caveat however, that I am not privy to the Goodrich line results. Yesterday's city e-mail that is going around states:<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">&nbsp;</span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The Elk Creek water was turned out of the system as soon as the call was received this morning. &nbsp;The diversion had been visually inspected on July 31st and no issues or concerns were noted i.e.: no animals or feces in the vicinity of the diversion. &nbsp;A second extensive tour of the diversion site was made again this morning and again nothing out of the ordinary was present. &nbsp;A number of elk do congregate in the Elk Creek area.</span></i><span style="font-size: small;"></span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><span style="font-size: small;">There have been cattle in the Elk Creek Diversion area in the past, but none this spring. </span></i></blockquote>It seems to me that the results received by the city yesterday were complete enough and significant enough to have been released to the public on their website by noon yesterday. If they are released to a few individuals, who subsequently share them with their friends, then the results should have been released to all residents through the city website. Having information floating around to a special group of Baker Buddies is way too Baker. The three Rs for city sharing of information to it's citizens should be: Release it early, Release it often, Release it to everyone. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tQdzuv5_anI/UgPtBVRgayI/AAAAAAAAB2c/IUKSEuI-Mmw/s1600/ElkCrkDiv2M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="449" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tQdzuv5_anI/UgPtBVRgayI/AAAAAAAAB2c/IUKSEuI-Mmw/s640/ElkCrkDiv2M.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The Elk Creek Diversion is just to the north west of the thick black line inside of the blue highlight circle. The Blue Canyon Allotment, administered by the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest is to the south and east of the line, and the Baker City watershed is to the north of the black line but east of the Elkhorn Ridge. (CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE THEM)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zWnCzCXJeoA/UgPyez4imUI/AAAAAAAAB28/BMEopL1hSvE/s1600/Elk+Crk.+Divrsion+Close647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="337" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zWnCzCXJeoA/UgPyez4imUI/AAAAAAAAB28/BMEopL1hSvE/s400/Elk+Crk.+Divrsion+Close647.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Elk Creek Diversion from Google Earth taken June 29, 2013.&nbsp; 44°44'44.00"N&nbsp; 117°58'26.88"W About 5187 feet<br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">The new information suggests there may be other possible suspects in our Baker City Crypto case--cattle and/or elk.&nbsp; It is well known that one species of Crypto, Cryptosporidium parvum, is commonly associated with both cattle and elk, and that it commonly causes cryptosporidiosis in humans.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br /></div>The city's email says there "<i><span style="font-size: small;">have been cattle in the Elk Creek Diversion area in the past, but none this spring." </span></i><span style="font-size: small;">Back in November 2011, after Crypto had been found in our water supply, I requested information from the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest concerning public land cattle grazing allotments adjacent to the Baker City watershed. The information I received back then indicated that there were two such allotments--the</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Stovepipe Allotment west of Marble Pass, and the Blue Canyon Allotment that is in the Elk Creek, Griffin Gulch area and south.&nbsp; They indicated that up to 80 cattle normally graze the public land portion of the </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Blue Canyon Allotment </span>from June first to September 30.&nbsp; It is possible that cattle can on occasion, due to the circumstances mentioned earlier, get through allotment fences, and it commonly happens throughout the Forest Service and BLM allotments in the Western states. I have seen them trespassing on other allotments, trashing scientifically oriented exclosures, doing similar in riparian exclosures, and grazing in restricted meadows while being escorted to their proper allotments (See top photo above). Fences and cattle guards do not guarantee the exclusion of a lucky or determined cow.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wmIPq2xGsNQ/UgQTOMdHeFI/AAAAAAAAB3M/YJnaiGO4os0/s1600/Cow+inside+exclosure-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wmIPq2xGsNQ/UgQTOMdHeFI/AAAAAAAAB3M/YJnaiGO4os0/s320/Cow+inside+exclosure-lg.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Cow inside of riparian exclosure, Malheur National Forest<br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">Cryptosporidium oocysts can also last for months in the environment, so it is not out of the question that something could have occurred last year that left cowpies too close to the water intake, resulting in Crypto oocysts being washed into the intake area. </span><br /><br />More later.http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/new-suspects-in-baker-city.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-7382310643071028352Wed, 07 Aug 2013 06:49:00 +00002013-08-16T22:33:33.225-07:00Baker CityBaker City HeraldCryptosporidiumCryptosporidium outbreakopinionsUV water treatmentWater treatmentWhy is the Baker City Herald Promoting Water Filtration & Then Taking a Poll During A Crisis?When I was in high school, I noted that the vast majority of my classmates in the social studies class had trouble passing pop quizzes and also the periodic tests that were announced many days in advance. It was clear to me that the primary reason for most of the average or failing scores was that, for whatever reason, they had not paid much attention in class and had not done their homework. In a "democracy," we have to hope that those who offer opinions and go to the voting booth have done theirs.&nbsp; Unfortunately, this is often not the case, as the habits of high school often follow us into adult life, so people continue to issue opinions on subjects they know little about.<br /><br />I have a degree in microbiology, albeit an old one, so I can't help but comment when such things as Cryptosporidium and water treatment arise.<br /><br />On August 2, 2013, the Baker City Herald "Editorial Board" issued an editorial opinion, <a href="http://www.bakercityherald.com/Editorials/What-s-next-with-city-s-water">What's next with city's water</a>, that recommended the city choose filtration over UV treatment, stating<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"<span class="s1">But in the wake of a week in which so many people were afflicted with stomach cramps, diarrhea and other unpleasant symptoms, in which restaurants and other businesses suffered during a busy weekend, we believe that extra cost is worth it.</span><span class="s1">"&nbsp; </span></blockquote><span class="s1">OK Herald, lets see the cost/benefit analysis.&nbsp; When McDonalds shut down for three days, I was told that Taco Time did a boom business. A neighbor I spoke with came down with Crypto, but he favors UV treatment.</span><br /><br /><span class="s1">The reasons given for the Herald's opinion were:</span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><span class="s1">But UV is not as effective as a filtration plant in removing viruses, UV has no effect on chemicals, and a UV system would not protect the water from dirt and ash that could foul streams were a wildfire to burn in the city’s watershed. </span></i></blockquote>&nbsp;They also tell us:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><span class="s1">The extra capabilities of a filtration plant come at a cost of perhaps $15 million, compared with an estimated $2.5 million for a UV system.</span> </i></blockquote>There was no <u>other</u> discussion of costs, nor any reference for the source of their figures, or why their objections were relevant.<br /><br />Then, after this very incomplete accounting, they put out a <a href="http://www.bakercityherald.com/Poll-results/What-s-Baker-City-s-best-water-treatment-option">poll, What's Baker City's best water treatment option</a>, as if everyone is informed, because, well, the Herald has informed us!<br /><br />As I write, the vote stands, after 33 hours, as 59.8% in favor of filtration as the best option and 31.4% in favor of UV treatment. Only 102 people have voted, which I'm sure the Herald would agree, is not a number large enough to represent the 10,000 plus residents of Baker City. Perhaps all they had to go on was the Herald's recommendation. Why do they do these unscientific polls during a period of crisis right after they have issued an uninformative opinion that misleads the public? Kind of like asking Americans what they think of the passing something like the Patriot Act right after 911. These polls are almost completely worthless as gauges of actual, well thought out, public opinion, but I guess it gives people something to do and gives the Herald more web page hits while gathering support for their ill-advised notions.<br /><br />And how is one to take the question?&nbsp; Does "best" mean the option that will do the job of treating Crypto while being one that we can afford, or does "best" mean the option that will possibly result in purer water than UV will provide (even though we will play hell paying for it)?<br /><br />That is a problem, especially if the opinion they give to their few thousand readers is in error or incomplete.&nbsp; So let's "unpack" their information and reasons for recommending filtration.<br /><br />There are three relevant questions:<br /><br />What do we really need given the current and foreseeable conditions?<br /><br />What can we afford given the the city's and the city resident's financial situation?<br /><br />What is politically acceptable given the answers to the first two questions?<br /><br />Do we want or need a water treatment system that can deal with every conceivable threat to human health, even when they don't currently exist in the watershed, and if we do, can a community struggling to finance other pressing infrastructure needs such as sewage treatment, streets, and aging water and sewer lines afford it? Do we need a Cadillac when a small hybrid car or Geo Metro will provide a solution to our problems?&nbsp; The Herald doesn't really address the question of whether we can afford it.<br /><br />The Herald tells us that:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"<i><span class="s1">UV is not as effective as a filtration plant in removing viruses"</span></i></blockquote>OK, so what? The Herald admits the city has a "long history of providing pure water." That water comes from a somewhat protected city watershed where human viruses are not a problem. Our watershed is not a source, such as the Colorado River, that has water passed through many communities and pastures where human viruses might be introduced to become a problem. Current conditions do not indicate that human viruses are, or will be a problem. They do indicate that Cryptosporidium is a problem, so we need a system like UV to treat it.<br /><br />[Update 8/7/13: Turns out that while UV treatment for viruses may not be as effective as a pricey membrane filtration plant, the National Drinking Water Clearing House says "UV light effectively destroys bacteria and viruses" at the proper doses. See: <a href="http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/pdf/dw/publications/ontap/2009_tb/disinfection_DWFSOM50.pdf">Tech Brief--Ultraviolet Disinfection</a><br />For a more complete understanding, see: Section 13 Ultraviolet Light (p.258) in the <a href="http://www.epa.gov/safewater/disinfection/lt2/pdfs/guide_lt2_toolboxguidancemanual.pdf">EPA's LONG TERM 2 ENHANCED SURFACE WATER TREATMENT RULE TOOLBOX GUIDANCE MANUAL</a>]<br /><br />The Herald tells us that:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"<i><span class="s1">UV has no effect on chemicals"</span></i></blockquote>OK, so what? Our last <a href="http://www.bakercity.com/images/stories/documents/Finance/2012waterqualityreport.pdf">water quality report</a> (2010-2012), and many before it, provides testing results that show chemicals, including nitrates, nitrites, trihalomethanes and halocacetic acids are far below the acceptable level--barely detectable.<br /><br />The water quality report also states that:<br /><br />There were "<i>approximately 29 synthetic organic chemicals tested for and not detected</i>."<br /><br />There were "<i>approximately 21 volatile organic chemicals tested for and not detected</i>."<br /><br />"<i>The 2012 hardness value for untreated water was 75 PPM</i> [parts per million = mg/L]" [barely out of the 0 to 60 PPM soft water category] I.E., our water is almost soft, not very mineralized by "calcium and magnesium, and by a variety of other metals."&nbsp; That's a good thing when you use UV treatment.<br /><br />Levels for iron, manganese and flouride were all well within acceptable levels.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">For more s</span>ee<span style="font-size: small;">: <a href="http://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/wq/wq-5.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Interpreting Water Test Reports</span></a></span><br /><br />Would levels of chemicals rise in case of a catastrophic fire? Yes, periodically, in which case we could switch to the well water we are using during the Crypto crisis, which would be safer when UV treatment is installed.<br /><br />They say: <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"<i><span class="s1">a UV system would not protect the water from dirt and ash that could foul streams were a wildfire to burn in the city’s watershed."</span></i> </blockquote>True, but both sand and ceramic filtration units can be overwhelmed by the same, and a complicated, yet supposedly effective, activated carbon and membrane filtration system could cost anywhere from $18M to $25M or more, 6 to 8+ times as much as a $3M UV system. [Update 8/7/13: (AND) membrane filtration "requires prefiltrations for surface water—may include removal of turbidity, iron, and/or manganese. Hardness and dissolved solids may also affect performance." So membrane filtration prefiltration would also be affected by dirt and ash from a wildfire. ] [Update 8/16/13: the city of Pendleton uses a flocculation tank] According to a <a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/updated-crypto-update-comments-and.html">2009 engineering report I posted yesterday</a> (See also <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/158122450/2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft">Table 2 of the report</a>), membrane filtration would cost something like 25 times as much to maintain as would a UV system! We would also be able to use the paid for well system for catastrophic fire emergencies (as in a drought--thank former Public Works director Fleming I believe), and we are following the recommended guideline for fuels reduction in the watershed which helps to prevent catastrophic fire. Over time, as budget allows, we could also create settling tanks or basins to let any sediments settle out prior to treatment.<br /><br />The Herald tells us:<br />"<i><span class="s1">The extra capabilities of a filtration plant come at a cost of perhaps $15 million, compared with an estimated $2.5 million for a UV system.</span>"</i><br /><br />The Herald has been very consistent in reporting that a filtration plant will cost us $15 million.&nbsp; I would like to know where that figure comes from. The same <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/158122450/2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft">2009 engineering report</a> I posted<i> </i>yesterday put the cost at 17.7 million dollars and that was four years ago. Those kinds of costs tend to go up--like everything else.<br /><br />Is spending 18 to 25 million dollars for a Cadillac membrane filtration system, instead of a get-the-job-done $2 to 3.1M UV system going to be politically acceptable to the citizens of Baker City?&nbsp; Not if they are allowed to vote on it in an actual election--but now people are in crisis mode and we we'll not likely get a vote.<br />__<br /><br />As a quibbling former microbiologist, there is another thing I'd like to mention. The Herald published an <a href="http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/Epidemiologist-Baker-City-crypto-outbreak-historic">article</a> today in which they reported statements from the senior state epidemiologist, <span class="s1">Dr. Bill Keene.</span><br /><br /><span class="s1">The Herald says that Dr. Keene said </span><span class="s1"><span class="s1">“I’m pretty sure mountain goats have never been tested (for crypto).”</span> </span>I doubt that he said that, as the most easily found <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC321466/">academic report</a> (See Table 2), which I found on Google right after the Crypto outbreak had been reported (and sent to Councilor Coles last night), says that both mountain goats and humans are a minor host for one species of Cryptosporidium, that is, <i>Cryptosporidium muris</i>.&nbsp; Doesn't mean that the state will ultimately find that our furry friends are the "scapegoat" but it does seem to infer that they are a possibility, as I indicated days ago.<br /><br />Oddly, the Herald chose to quote a passage from the same article that said "<i>According to a 2004 article in Clinical Microbiology Reviews, crypto species "originating from wildlife... are mostly not human pathogens</i>" instead of pointing out Table 2 which clearly states that both humans and mountain goats are a minor host for <i>Cryptosporidium muris.</i><br /><br />Additionally Dr. Keene confirmed my statement in the <a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/random-thoughts-on-baker-city-crypto.html">August 2nd blog</a> that "<i>These anecdotal reports seem to indicate that the number of cases in Baker City is far higher than the number of reported cases, quite possibly in the hundreds</i>" when Dr. Keene told the Herald that "<i>the total cases 'could easily be in the hundreds</i>.'”<br /><br />Thanks. <br />____<br /><br />See also:<br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name"><a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/follow-up-articles-on-bradley-manning.html">Comment on Cryptosporidium Outbreak in Baker City</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> With Crypto timeline from Monday, November 14, 2011</span> </h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name"><a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/random-thoughts-on-baker-city-crypto.html">Random Thoughts on the Baker City Crypto Outbreak</a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name"><a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/updated-crypto-update-comments-and.html">Updated Crypto Update: Comments and Questions</a></h3>More later. . . .<br />&nbsp; <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp; <i><br /></i>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/why-is-baker-city-herald-promoting.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-8721643028200291395Mon, 05 Aug 2013 02:17:00 +00002013-08-06T16:02:52.247-07:00accountabilityBaker Buddy SystemBaker CityBaker City Councilcostcost estimatesCryptoCryptosporidiumCryptosporidium outbreakengineeringengineering reportsOregontransparencyUpdated Crypto Update: Comments and Questions 8/4/13 7:17 PMThis update includes engineering reports and cost estimates from 2009 and 2012 for UV treatment and an article on the new, on cue, national security "threats."<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vmCfBU8E49c/Uf6acSutSHI/AAAAAAAAB1k/Hkl2mUnRwxA/s1600/Goodrich-DSCN3603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vmCfBU8E49c/Uf6acSutSHI/AAAAAAAAB1k/Hkl2mUnRwxA/s320/Goodrich-DSCN3603.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Goodrich Reservoir, Baker City Watershed<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">The City of Baker City released another&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bakercity.com/latest-news/4-city-of-baker-city/320-drinking-water-warning">drinking water warning</a>&nbsp;yesterday which confirms that Cryptosporidium is in the water supply. They state that "Water samples taken on July 31 were positive for Cryptosporidium in water from the watershed supply and treated water (distribution system)."&nbsp;</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">How much Crypto is in the water supply? Are the concentrations they found significantly high, or rather low? What were the sources and what are the locations where positive samples were taken?&nbsp; Why are they not releasing the information about the locations and concentrations? Where is the transparency that people so cherish but see so little of?</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">When governments don't release available information to the public, when there is no good reason not to release it, it makes people think they are&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">trying to hide something.&nbsp; Why would they want to cover-up that information?&nbsp; People are still wondering why the city didn't tell us the details of how positive Crypto results were kept from the public and the Council for over a year in 2010 and 2011. No one has been held accountable publicly other than Mike Kee taking it upon himself, which only hides the actual details and the identity of those actually responsible.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I sent an email to City Manager Mike Kee and Public Works Director Michelle Owen this Morning asking for the&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">locations and concentrations for the positive samples. I have not yet received a response.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>[Update 1:52PM: &nbsp;Since I posted this I see that Mike Kee has selectively released&nbsp;<u>the information I asked for earlier (10 AM) today</u>&nbsp;to their favored commercial media information massage outlet, the Herald, but neither Kee nor Michelle Owen has given this citizen blogger the courtesy of a response. They prefer to give it first to a corporation. (The Herald is owned by a corporation, Western Communications, Inc.)&nbsp;<u>The city did not even post the information on our own&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bakercity.com/">city website</a>&nbsp;before releasing it to the Herald</u>&nbsp;(and still hasn't). Par for the course. The Herald seems to be updating as I write now. &nbsp;Bottom line: it was found in Goodrich but they didn't test other possible watershed sources, which they say they are now doing]</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">__</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a comment on the Herald website, someone who calls himself "Jeff" references a YouTube video that I put up about two years ago.&nbsp; SEE:</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://youtu.be/tUdpYZqqXzg"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dorrah &amp; Calder Still Think Drinking Water Safe102511.mp4&nbsp;</span></span></a></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tUdpYZqqXzg" width="420"></iframe><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is worth noting that in the video, Mike Kee reminds the Council, some of whom have been urging a go slow approach, that:&nbsp;</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"...we want to do everything we can to keep this water safe, that we are providing for our public, so anything we can do to move forward with this process, I think we should. Can we go slow and avoid spending money? Yes we can, but we need to keep moving forward."</i></span></span></span></div></blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I take that as a bit of push-back from the City Manager on the go-slow approach [even though they didn't follow through with additional testing]. It is also worth noting that in 2009, the price for the UV treatment was estimated to be only $2.5 million, and that compliance was required by October 2013 (Since delayed until 2016).&nbsp;</span></span></span>Membrane filtration, in 2009, was estimated to cost about $17.7 M and cost over 25 times as much as UV to operate. By 2012, the estimated cost for UV treatment was&nbsp;<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/158127481/UV-Kick%E2%80%90Off-Meeting-Technology-Workshop-Baker-City-OR-January-12-2012">$1.84M to $3.14M</a>. While a go-fast approach (i.e., install some approved effective treatment ASAP--before the deadline) is almost unheard of for public safety compliance, it could have saved us from the illnesses, economic hit, and repuational loss, that we are now experiencing.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">See Table 2 (about p. 5 or 6 depending on whose counting):</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Click link below to read on Scribd.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/158122450/2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft">2009 Disinfection Options to Comply with LT2ESWTR</a></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cp%20%20style=%22%20margin:%2012px%20auto%206px%20auto;%20font-family:%20Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;%20font-style:%20normal;%20font-variant:%20normal;%20font-weight:%20normal;%20font-size:%2014px;%20line-height:%20normal;%20font-size-adjust:%20none;%20font-stretch:%20normal;%20-x-system-font:%20none;%20display:%20block;%22%3E%20%20%20%3Ca%20title=%22View%202009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft%20on%20Scribd%22%20href=%22http://www.scribd.com/doc/158122450/2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft%22%20%20style=%22text-decoration:%20underline;%22%20%3E2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Ciframe%20class=%22scribd_iframe_embed%22%20src=%22http://www.scribd.com/embeds/158122450/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true%22%20data-auto-height=%22false%22%20data-aspect-ratio=%22undefined%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20id=%22doc_71865%22%20width=%22100%%22%20height=%22600%22%20frameborder=%220%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E"></a><br /></div><div nbsp="" style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cp%20%20style=%22%20margin:%2012px%20auto%206px%20auto;%20font-family:%20Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;%20font-style:%20normal;%20font-variant:%20normal;%20font-weight:%20normal;%20font-size:%2014px;%20line-height:%20normal;%20font-size-adjust:%20none;%20font-stretch:%20normal;%20-x-system-font:%20none;%20display:%20block;%22%3E%20%20%20%3Ca%20title=%22View%202009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft%20on%20Scribd%22%20href=%22http://www.scribd.com/doc/158122450/2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft%22%20%20style=%22text-decoration:%20underline;%22%20%3E2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Ciframe%20class=%22scribd_iframe_embed%22%20src=%22http://www.scribd.com/embeds/158122450/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true%22%20data-auto-height=%22false%22%20data-aspect-ratio=%22undefined%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20id=%22doc_71865%22%20width=%22100%%22%20height=%22600%22%20frameborder=%220%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E">&nbsp;&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/158122450/2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft" nbsp="" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View 2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft on Scribd">2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft</a></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="undefined" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_71865" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/158122450/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">See also page 6,&nbsp;</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Project Budget Schedule,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/158127481/UV-Kick%E2%80%90Off-Meeting-Technology-Workshop-Baker-City-OR-January-12-2012">UV&nbsp;</a></span></span><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/158127481/UV-Kick%E2%80%90Off-Meeting-Technology-Workshop-Baker-City-OR-January-12-2012"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Kick‐Off Meeting &amp;&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">Technology Workshop,&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">Baker City, OR,&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">January 12, 2012</span></a>&nbsp;(on Scribd):</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cp%20%20style=%22%20margin:%2012px%20auto%206px%20auto;%20font-family:%20Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;%20font-style:%20normal;%20font-variant:%20normal;%20font-weight:%20normal;%20font-size:%2014px;%20line-height:%20normal;%20font-size-adjust:%20none;%20font-stretch:%20normal;%20-x-system-font:%20none;%20display:%20block;%22%3E%20%20%20%3Ca%20title=%22View%20UV%20Kick%E2%80%90Off%20Meeting%20&amp;%20Technology%20Workshop,%20Baker%20City,%20OR,%20January%2012,%202012%20on%20Scribd%22%20href=%22http://www.scribd.com/doc/158127481/UV-Kick%E2%80%90Off-Meeting-Technology-Workshop-Baker-City-OR-January-12-2012%22%20%20style=%22text-decoration:%20underline;%22%20%3EUV%20Kick%E2%80%90Off%20Meeting%20&amp;%20Technology%20Workshop,%20Baker%20City,%20OR,%20January%2012,%202012%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Ciframe%20class=%22scribd_iframe_embed%22%20src=%22http://www.scribd.com/embeds/158127481/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true%22%20data-auto-height=%22false%22%20data-aspect-ratio=%22undefined%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20id=%22doc_20225%22%20width=%22100%%22%20height=%22600%22%20frameborder=%220%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E"></a></span></span></span></div><div nbsp="" style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cp%20%20style=%22%20margin:%2012px%20auto%206px%20auto;%20font-family:%20Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;%20font-style:%20normal;%20font-variant:%20normal;%20font-weight:%20normal;%20font-size:%2014px;%20line-height:%20normal;%20font-size-adjust:%20none;%20font-stretch:%20normal;%20-x-system-font:%20none;%20display:%20block;%22%3E%20%20%20%3Ca%20title=%22View%20UV%20Kick%E2%80%90Off%20Meeting%20&amp;%20Technology%20Workshop,%20Baker%20City,%20OR,%20January%2012,%202012%20on%20Scribd%22%20href=%22http://www.scribd.com/doc/158127481/UV-Kick%E2%80%90Off-Meeting-Technology-Workshop-Baker-City-OR-January-12-2012%22%20%20style=%22text-decoration:%20underline;%22%20%3EUV%20Kick%E2%80%90Off%20Meeting%20&amp;%20Technology%20Workshop,%20Baker%20City,%20OR,%20January%2012,%202012%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Ciframe%20class=%22scribd_iframe_embed%22%20src=%22http://www.scribd.com/embeds/158127481/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true%22%20data-auto-height=%22false%22%20data-aspect-ratio=%22undefined%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20id=%22doc_20225%22%20width=%22100%%22%20height=%22600%22%20frameborder=%220%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E">&nbsp;&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/158127481/UV-Kick%E2%80%90Off-Meeting-Technology-Workshop-Baker-City-OR-January-12-2012" nbsp="" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View UV Kick‐Off Meeting &amp; Technology Workshop, Baker City, OR, January 12, 2012 on Scribd">UV Kick‐Off Meeting &amp;amp; Technology Workshop, Baker City, OR, January 12, 2012</a></span></span></span></div></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="undefined" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_20225" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/158127481/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe></span></span></span>&nbsp;<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">__</span></span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Also on the Herald, one "Loran Joseph" states that:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>The exposure was estimated to have occurred as late as July 26th. With a minimum 2 days before symptoms occur, plus lab test return time, the city couldn't have been informed of this more than a day before this article was released. The city is being very diligent.&nbsp;</i></span></div></blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I agree that the city has been diligent since the time they were told of the infected citizens by the County Health Department. The testing issue is different though.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The city has said that they started using water from Goodrich Reservoir on the 15th. If that is a source of the Crypto [turns out it was confirmed as a source on 8/4/13], then exposure for citizens drinking water out of the tap could, and likely did, begin within one or two days, i.e., by the 17th, and certainly no later than the 18th. The city has not told us whether Goodrich Reservoir is a source of the Crypto, although I was told by Mike Kee on the 31st that they were going to collect goat droppings for testing. If Goodrich was confirmed as a source [it has been confirmed 8/4/13], then they could have confirmed the presence of Crypto, before using the water, by testing it a week prior to opening. (That is one reason the city needs to tell us where the source or sources of contamination were.)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Given the earlier detection of Crypto, instead of relying on the wishful thinking of Councilors about our "safe" water supply, and despite the lack of a requirement, the city should have been testing the water on a regular basis after the first round of testing ended. I believe the episode points to regulatory failure by the state and federal governments, and a lack of prudence by city officials and the Council.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Competence, foresight and prudence is what the Council gets elected for and what city staff gets paid for. If we continue to elect Councils whose primary concern is Main Street area businesses and the needs of the well off, and if the city is hiring employees according to the "Baker Buddy System" instead of on appropriate education and merit, and if they are going to continue to insist on remaining unaccountable, then we citizens will&nbsp;suffer&nbsp;continuing crises, elite theft, and inefficient government.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">__</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you are really interested in the early history of the Crypto issue please read this previous blog:</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="date-header"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Monday, November 14, 2011</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="2948447646139095317"></a></div><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name"><a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/accountability-for-baker-citys.html">Accountability for Baker City's Cryptosporidium Fiasco--is the elephant still in the room?</a></h3><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">In This Edition:<br />- Review and Summary of Events<br />- Council responses to my question , i.e.: When were you first informed that Crypto was in the water?<br />- Crypto Time line, from Council reports and etc.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">_________</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><b>The new, on cue, national security "threats."</b><br /><b><br /></b><b></b><br /><div align="left"><b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article35744.htm">Crying Wolf, Wolf, Wolf</a></b></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br /> <br /> <b>By Moon Of Alabama<br /> </b><br /> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">August 03, 2013 "</span><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Information Clearing House</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"> -</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">&nbsp; After weeks&nbsp; under heavy pressure for limitless spying on people everywhere the U.S. intelligence services conveniently <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/03/world/middleeast/qaeda-messages-prompt-us-terror-warning.html?ref=world&amp;_r=0"> detect</a> a "threat" of some undefined future attacks. The "detection", we are of course told, was only possible because of limitless spying on people everywhere: </span></b></div><b> </b><br /><blockquote><div align="left"><b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">The United States intercepted electronic communications this week among senior operatives of Al Qaeda, in which the terrorists discussed attacks against American interests in the Middle East and North Africa, American officials said Friday. </span></b></div><div align="left"><b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">The intercepts and a subsequent analysis of them by American intelligence agencies prompted the United States to issue an unusual global travel alert to American citizens on Friday, warning of the potential for terrorist attacks by operatives of Al Qaeda and their associates beginning Sunday through the end of August.</span></b></div></blockquote><b></b><br /><div align="left"><b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Just a month ago we were told that the "terrorists" are <a href="http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/terrorists-changing-communication-methods-after-nsa-snooping-leaks_858225.html"> changing</a> their communication because of the NSA snooping leaks: </span></b></div><b></b><br /><blockquote><div align="left"><b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">The Al-Qaeda and other terrorist are reportedly changing their communication methods in light of the revelations by whistleblower Edward Snowden about US led NSA 'surveillance programme'. <br /> ...<br /> US officials said that virtually every terrorist organization including Al-Qaeda is changing the way they communicate to hide from the US surveillance after the revelations about the leaks were reported in the media. <br /> ...<br /> Private analysis firm IntelCenter's Ben Venzke said that the leaks by Snowden serve as a wake-up call to extremists and other hostile actors to analyse how they are working and improve their security. </span></b></div></blockquote><b></b><br /><div align="left"><b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Is it not a bit weird that just a month after that "wake-up call" and the "changed communications" talks between "senior operatives of Al Qaeda" are now easily detectable by the same intelligence services that warned of those changes? </span></b></div><b></b><div align="left"><b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">And what is it about these "terrorists" that the "threat" from them ends after August 31? </span></b></div><b><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Even some "analysts and Congressional officials" the NYT mentions in one short paragraph find this somewhat suspicious:</span></div><blockquote><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Some analysts and Congressional officials suggested Friday that emphasizing a terrorist threat now was a good way to divert attention from the uproar over the N.S.A.’s data-collection programs, ...</span></div></blockquote><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Ahh - you don't say ... </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">But the sentence continues: </span></div><blockquote><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">... and that if it showed the intercepts had uncovered a possible plot, even better.</span></div></blockquote><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">So it would be even better if now, as a warning has been given, something would happen to some U.S. embassy in the Middle East. That then would justify the warning and of course also justify the intelligence services NSA's limitless spying on people everywhere that made the warning possible. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Hmm - how much does it cost, let's say in Yemen, to have some guys on a motorcycle fire a few shots at an embassy guard?</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><i>This article was originally posted at</i><b> </b></span> <a href="http://www.moonofalabama.org/2013/08/crying-wolf-wolf-wolf.html"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><i>Moon Of Alabama</i></span></a></div></b></div>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/updated-crypto-update-comments-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-3356566211779859948Sun, 04 Aug 2013 19:37:00 +00002013-08-04T19:15:20.688-07:00accountabilityBaker Buddy SystemBaker CityBaker City City CouncilBaker City StaffCryptoCryptosporidiumOregontransparencyCrypto Update: Comments and Questions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vmCfBU8E49c/Uf6acSutSHI/AAAAAAAAB1k/Hkl2mUnRwxA/s1600/Goodrich-DSCN3603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vmCfBU8E49c/Uf6acSutSHI/AAAAAAAAB1k/Hkl2mUnRwxA/s320/Goodrich-DSCN3603.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Goodrich Reservoir, Baker City Watershed<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">The City of Baker City released another <a href="http://www.bakercity.com/latest-news/4-city-of-baker-city/320-drinking-water-warning">drinking water warning</a> yesterday which confirms that Cryptosporidium is in the water supply. They state that "Water samples taken on July 31 were positive for Cryptosporidium in water from the watershed supply and treated water (distribution system)."&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">How much Crypto is in the water supply? Are the concentrations they found significantly high, or rather low? What were the sources and what are the locations where positive samples were taken?&nbsp; Why are they not releasing the information about the locations and concentrations? Where is the transparency that people so cherish but see so little of?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">When governments don't release available information to the public, when there is no good reason not to release it, it makes people think they are </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">trying to hide something.&nbsp; Why would they want to cover-up that information?&nbsp; People are still wondering why the city didn't tell us the details of how positive Crypto results were kept from the public and the Council for over a year in 2010 and 2011. No one has been held accountable publicly other than Mike Kee taking it upon himself, which only hides the actual details and the identity of those actually responsible.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I sent an email to City Manager Mike Kee and Public Works Director Michelle Owen this Morning asking for the </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">locations and concentrations for the positive samples. I have not yet received a response.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>[Update 1:52PM: &nbsp;Since I posted this I see that Mike Kee has selectively released <u>the information I asked for earlier (10 AM) today</u> to their favored commercial media information massage outlet, the Herald, but neither Kee nor Michelle Owen has given this citizen blogger the courtesy of a response. They prefer to give it first to a corporation. (The Herald is owned by a corporation, Western Communications, Inc.)&nbsp;<u>The city did not even post the information on our own <a href="http://www.bakercity.com/">city website</a> before releasing it to the Herald</u>&nbsp;(and still hasn't). Par for the course. The Herald seems to be updating as I write now. &nbsp;Bottom line: it was found in Goodrich but they didn't test other possible watershed sources, which they say they are now doing]<br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">__</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a comment on the Herald website, someone who calls himself "Jeff" references a YouTube video that I put up about two years ago.&nbsp; SEE: </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://youtu.be/tUdpYZqqXzg"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dorrah &amp; Calder Still Think Drinking Water Safe102511.mp4&nbsp;</span></span></a></span><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tUdpYZqqXzg" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is worth noting that in the video, Mike Kee reminds the Council, some of whom have been urging a go slow approach, that:&nbsp;</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"...we want to do everything we can to keep this water safe, that we are providing for our public, so anything we can do to move forward with this process, I think we should. Can we go slow and avoid spending money? Yes we can, but we need to keep moving forward."</i></span></span></span></blockquote><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I take that as a bit of push-back from the City Manager on the go-slow approach. It is also worth noting that in 2009, the price for the UV treatment was estimated to be only $2.5 million, and that compliance was required by October 2013 (Since pushed back to 2016).&nbsp;</span></span></span>Membrane filtration, in 2009, was estimated to cost about $17.7 M and cost over 25 times as much to operate. By 2012, the estimated cost for UV treatment was <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/158127481/UV-Kick%E2%80%90Off-Meeting-Technology-Workshop-Baker-City-OR-January-12-2012">$1.84M to $3.14M</a>. While a go-fast approach (i.e., install some approved effective treatment ASAP--before the deadline) is almost unheard of for public safety compliance, it could have saved us from the illnesses, economic hit, and repuational loss, that we are now experiencing.<br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">See Table 2:</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/158122450/2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft">2009 Disinfection Options to Comply with LT2ESWTR</a></span></span></span><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cp%20%20style=%22%20margin:%2012px%20auto%206px%20auto;%20font-family:%20Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;%20font-style:%20normal;%20font-variant:%20normal;%20font-weight:%20normal;%20font-size:%2014px;%20line-height:%20normal;%20font-size-adjust:%20none;%20font-stretch:%20normal;%20-x-system-font:%20none;%20display:%20block;%22%3E%20%20%20%3Ca%20title=%22View%202009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft%20on%20Scribd%22%20href=%22http://www.scribd.com/doc/158122450/2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft%22%20%20style=%22text-decoration:%20underline;%22%20%3E2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Ciframe%20class=%22scribd_iframe_embed%22%20src=%22http://www.scribd.com/embeds/158122450/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true%22%20data-auto-height=%22false%22%20data-aspect-ratio=%22undefined%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20id=%22doc_71865%22%20width=%22100%%22%20height=%22600%22%20frameborder=%220%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E"></a><br /><div nbsp="" style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cp%20%20style=%22%20margin:%2012px%20auto%206px%20auto;%20font-family:%20Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;%20font-style:%20normal;%20font-variant:%20normal;%20font-weight:%20normal;%20font-size:%2014px;%20line-height:%20normal;%20font-size-adjust:%20none;%20font-stretch:%20normal;%20-x-system-font:%20none;%20display:%20block;%22%3E%20%20%20%3Ca%20title=%22View%202009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft%20on%20Scribd%22%20href=%22http://www.scribd.com/doc/158122450/2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft%22%20%20style=%22text-decoration:%20underline;%22%20%3E2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Ciframe%20class=%22scribd_iframe_embed%22%20src=%22http://www.scribd.com/embeds/158122450/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true%22%20data-auto-height=%22false%22%20data-aspect-ratio=%22undefined%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20id=%22doc_71865%22%20width=%22100%%22%20height=%22600%22%20frameborder=%220%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E">&nbsp; </a><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/158122450/2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft" nbsp="" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View 2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft on Scribd">2009disinfectionoptionstocomplywithlt2eswtr-november09draft</a></div><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="undefined" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_71865" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/158122450/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">See also page 6,&nbsp;</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Project Budget Schedule,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/158127481/UV-Kick%E2%80%90Off-Meeting-Technology-Workshop-Baker-City-OR-January-12-2012">UV&nbsp;</a></span></span><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/158127481/UV-Kick%E2%80%90Off-Meeting-Technology-Workshop-Baker-City-OR-January-12-2012"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Kick‐Off Meeting &amp;&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">Technology Workshop,&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">Baker City, OR,&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">January 12, 2012</span></a>:<br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cp%20%20style=%22%20margin:%2012px%20auto%206px%20auto;%20font-family:%20Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;%20font-style:%20normal;%20font-variant:%20normal;%20font-weight:%20normal;%20font-size:%2014px;%20line-height:%20normal;%20font-size-adjust:%20none;%20font-stretch:%20normal;%20-x-system-font:%20none;%20display:%20block;%22%3E%20%20%20%3Ca%20title=%22View%20UV%20Kick%E2%80%90Off%20Meeting%20&amp;%20Technology%20Workshop,%20Baker%20City,%20OR,%20January%2012,%202012%20on%20Scribd%22%20href=%22http://www.scribd.com/doc/158127481/UV-Kick%E2%80%90Off-Meeting-Technology-Workshop-Baker-City-OR-January-12-2012%22%20%20style=%22text-decoration:%20underline;%22%20%3EUV%20Kick%E2%80%90Off%20Meeting%20&amp;%20Technology%20Workshop,%20Baker%20City,%20OR,%20January%2012,%202012%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Ciframe%20class=%22scribd_iframe_embed%22%20src=%22http://www.scribd.com/embeds/158127481/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true%22%20data-auto-height=%22false%22%20data-aspect-ratio=%22undefined%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20id=%22doc_20225%22%20width=%22100%%22%20height=%22600%22%20frameborder=%220%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E"></a></span></span></span><br /><div nbsp="" style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cp%20%20style=%22%20margin:%2012px%20auto%206px%20auto;%20font-family:%20Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;%20font-style:%20normal;%20font-variant:%20normal;%20font-weight:%20normal;%20font-size:%2014px;%20line-height:%20normal;%20font-size-adjust:%20none;%20font-stretch:%20normal;%20-x-system-font:%20none;%20display:%20block;%22%3E%20%20%20%3Ca%20title=%22View%20UV%20Kick%E2%80%90Off%20Meeting%20&amp;%20Technology%20Workshop,%20Baker%20City,%20OR,%20January%2012,%202012%20on%20Scribd%22%20href=%22http://www.scribd.com/doc/158127481/UV-Kick%E2%80%90Off-Meeting-Technology-Workshop-Baker-City-OR-January-12-2012%22%20%20style=%22text-decoration:%20underline;%22%20%3EUV%20Kick%E2%80%90Off%20Meeting%20&amp;%20Technology%20Workshop,%20Baker%20City,%20OR,%20January%2012,%202012%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Ciframe%20class=%22scribd_iframe_embed%22%20src=%22http://www.scribd.com/embeds/158127481/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true%22%20data-auto-height=%22false%22%20data-aspect-ratio=%22undefined%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20id=%22doc_20225%22%20width=%22100%%22%20height=%22600%22%20frameborder=%220%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E">&nbsp; </a><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/158127481/UV-Kick%E2%80%90Off-Meeting-Technology-Workshop-Baker-City-OR-January-12-2012" nbsp="" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View UV Kick‐Off Meeting &amp; Technology Workshop, Baker City, OR, January 12, 2012 on Scribd">UV Kick‐Off Meeting &amp;amp; Technology Workshop, Baker City, OR, January 12, 2012</a></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="undefined" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_20225" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/158127481/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">__</span></span></span><br /><br />Also on the Herald, one "Loran Joseph" states that:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>The exposure was estimated to have occurred as late as July 26th. With a minimum 2 days before symptoms occur, plus lab test return time, the city couldn't have been informed of this more than a day before this article was released. The city is being very diligent.&nbsp;</i></span></blockquote><br />I agree that the city has been diligent since the time they were told of the infected citizens by the County Health Department. The testing issue is different though.<br /><br />The city has said that they started using water from Goodrich Reservoir on the 15th. If that is a source of the Crypto [turns out it was confirmed 8/4/13], then exposure for citizens drinking water out of the tap could, and likely did, begin within one or two days, i.e., by the 17th, and certainly no later than the 18th. The city has not told us whether Goodrich Reservoir is a source of the Crypto, although I was told by Mike Kee on the 31st that they were going to collect goat droppings for testing. If Goodrich was confirmed as a source [it has been confirmed 8/4/13], then they could have confirmed the presence of Crypto, before using the water, by testing it a week prior to opening. (That is one reason the city needs to tell us where the source or sources of contamination were.)<br /><br />Given the earlier detection of Crypto, instead of relying on the wishful thinking of Councilors about our "safe" water supply, and despite the lack of a requirement, the city should have been testing the water on a regular basis after the first round of testing ended. I believe the episode points to regulatory failure by the state and federal governments, and a lack of prudence by city officials and the Council.<br /><br />Competence, foresight and prudence is what the Council gets elected for and what city staff gets paid for. If we continue to elect Councils whose primary concern is Main Street area businesses and the needs of the well off, and if the city is hiring employees according to the "Baker Buddy System" instead of on appropriate education and merit, and if they are going to continue to insist on remaining unaccountable, then we citizens will&nbsp;suffer&nbsp;continuing crises, elite theft, and inefficient government.<br />__<br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you are really interested in the early history of the Crypto issue please read this previous blog:</span></span></span><br /><br /><div class="date-header">Monday, November 14, 2011</div><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="2948447646139095317"></a> <br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name"><a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/accountability-for-baker-citys.html">Accountability for Baker City's Cryptosporidium Fiasco--is the elephant still in the room?</a></h3><span style="font-weight: bold;">In This Edition:<br />- Review and Summary of Events<br />- Council responses to my question , i.e.: When were you first informed that Crypto was in the water?<br />- Crypto Time line, from Council reports and etc.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></span> </span>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/crypto-update-comments-and-questions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-7863764283924665907Sat, 03 Aug 2013 06:18:00 +00002013-08-03T15:27:22.262-07:00accountabilityBaker CityClassismCryptoCryptosporidiumEPAGolf CourseLT2 Treatment Rulemountain goatsOregon Health AuthorityprioritiesResort Streetwater monitoringWater treatmentRandom Thoughts on the Baker City Crypto Outbreak<h2><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">[Edited 8/3/13]</span></span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gwPmvaYJtiQ/UftKBhKL8RI/AAAAAAAAB0U/tvF1Mo8zZmI/s1600/Goodrich-DSCN3603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gwPmvaYJtiQ/UftKBhKL8RI/AAAAAAAAB0U/tvF1Mo8zZmI/s320/Goodrich-DSCN3603.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Goodrich Reservoir, Baker City Watershed<br /><br />They say that hindsight would have been perfect foresight, or something like that, and my first chemistry teacher would always reprimand his students when they made a mistake by saying "In the future" la de da de da, hoping we would learn from our mistakes. I guess it doesn't always turn out that way in the real world.<br /><br />As of today there were less than 10 confirmed cases of disease caused by Cryptosporidium (crypto) in Baker City, according to published reports. Most people I speak with know of at least a few people who have symptoms consistent with cryptosporidiosis who have not gone to the doctor for various reasons.&nbsp; The main reasons, in my view, that they haven't sought treatment, is because the symptoms did not overwhelm them, and that going to the doctor can be expensive, especially for those with little or no health insurance. These anecdotal reports seem to indicate that the number of cases in Baker City is far higher than the number of reported cases, quite possibly in the hundreds. Hopefully, the state epidemiologists will at least conduct minimal studies with large enough sample sizes to extrapolate/estimate the number of people actually infected.<br /><br />Yesterday I asked the State Health Authority to tell me whether the city was required to do additional testing after the initial 2-year round of testing, which showed positive for crypto, ended in 2012.&nbsp; My reading of the requirements, as well as theirs, indicated that no more testing was required by the <a href="http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/lt2/upload/2005_12_15_disinfection_lt2_fs_lt2_finalrule.pdf">LT2 Rule</a> until 6 years had passed.&nbsp; Today, the city has confirmed that they have not been testing the water for crypto since the first round of testing ended and that they were not required to do so. (That was the question I asked them yesterday.)<br /><br />Most folks I have spoken with indicate to me that continued testing would have been the sensible thing to do, given that we had positive tests for crypto in the watershed. That was my view too, but it didn't happen. The current events in Baker City seem to indicate a weakness in the EPA's monitoring requirements for crypto, and a lack of prudence by city officials in charge of protecting our water supply. Another suggested that given the previous positive tests, that in addition to monitoring in the absence of any effective treatment, no water from Goodrich should have been used in the municipal water supply before testing for pathogens, including crypto.&nbsp; In hindsight, I certainly agree, even if Goodrich or Mountain Goats don't turn out to be the sources of the problem.<br /><br />Another individual wondered why the city was spending the money to have an employee drive the test samples to Seattle and then pay for a motel while waiting for the results which they would then take back to Baker City. Why can't the city send them overnight via US Mail, UPS or Fed Ex? To the best of my knowledge, they haven't had to drive them up before. <br /><br />I have previously complained to city officials and others about our city priorities which seem to continuously discount our needs for basic infrastructure in favor of so-called "economic development." The sentiment I'm hearing from those I speak with is that the city leaders thinks it is more important to win city beauty contests and spend money on putting Resort St. utilities underground, throwing money at the golf course and airport, and etc. (not to mention increased expenditures for aggressive policing and employee salaries and benefits), than it is to spend our tax dollars on water testing, and basic infrastructure, like water treatment, sewage treatment, water delivery systems, sewers, streets, and etc.&nbsp; (If you look down Resort Street today, after the utilities have been put underground, it still looks like a bit of a wide alley.&nbsp; If you first look at the price tag for putting the utilities underground, well, then it looks like a million bucks!)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JrtmQsCwjJg/UfybSCk5FtI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/7w0RWwkdTtM/s1600/Lonely+Golfer+on+Our+Golf++Course.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JrtmQsCwjJg/UfybSCk5FtI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/7w0RWwkdTtM/s320/Lonely+Golfer+on+Our+Golf++Course.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lonely Golfer on Our Golf&nbsp; Course</div><br />Take the golf course for one example. With regard to all the subsidies that have historically gone to the golf course after the addition of the back nine holes, some Councilors reflect the conventional elite wisdom with statements like this:<br /><br />Dennis Dorrah: <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>For my part the golf course is much like the swimming pool. It improves the quality of life of many of our citizens and I see it as a tool for drawing business to our community.</i></blockquote>Clair Button, whose house backs up to the golf course:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>Each house built because of the golf course contributes between 2000 - 6000 dollars in property taxes annually. Multiply that times the number of houses that have been built because of the growth the golf course has generated. The housing creation is ongoing. We want that growth to increase the tax base.&nbsp; They pay to pave their own streets and provide sidewalks. Those people have the money to invest in business. They create jobs. They pay a large share of our water and sewer system upgrades. They spend money at local businesses, all of which keep our local economy moving.&nbsp; The economic recycling of money is a well documented phenomenon. The entire community does benefit.</i></blockquote>Miracle workers according to Clair. The two Councilors are not alone among city leaders, they just let their opinions be known. The truth is that the claims are not backed up by valid statistics or cost-benefit studies, and the city just spent over $150,000 to replace the sub-standard water tanks in the Scenic Vista development, overlooking the golf course, that were accepted by then City Manager Tim Collins on July 31, 2003.&nbsp; Mr. Collins, an avid golfer, purchased property in the subdivision a few years later. The golf course has also made evident two classes of citizens--those who can drive their unlicensed vehicles (golf carts) all over town without harassment (golfers), and those who have to license their vehicles to drive them on our streets because they will be cited if they don't (the rest of us). They also take many hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of potential drinking water for free to irrigate a little used facility that won't pay for itself.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCwxaWWnLKs/UfyZ0UEThqI/AAAAAAAAB1E/5gDTJES8ouY/s1600/Golf+Cart+0n+15th8%253A02%253A13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCwxaWWnLKs/UfyZ0UEThqI/AAAAAAAAB1E/5gDTJES8ouY/s320/Golf+Cart+0n+15th8%253A02%253A13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Additionally,&nbsp;the state and federal government have given us millions to spend on rebuilding selected streets in recent years, when what we needed was money to move swiftly on water and sewage treatment.<br /><br />But the important point is this:&nbsp; Who is going to want to come to live in Baker City so as to enjoy the subsidized golf course and a few tidy new streets when our drinking water is contaminated with crypto because we spent our extra dollars on elite activities like the golf course, airport, and underground utilities for business people on Resort Street, instead of on necessities like water testing and treatment?<br /><br />There are also questions about how rapidly information is getting out to neighboring towns and cities who have citizens who visit Baker City. An interesting situation was related to me by a friend this afternoon.&nbsp; She had two elderly women visit last Monday from La Grande.&nbsp; One was around 75 and the other was 105 years old (a very remarkable woman who was raised in the Baker City area). They drank lots of water. The younger of the two ended up in Grande Ronde Hospital a few days later with gastrointestinal pain, stomach upset, and diarrhea. She's on intravenous antibiotics. When my friend told the mother and the nurse about the crypto outbreak in Baker City, neither had even heard about it.<br /><br />Now just in case you think I never have positive things to say to the city, the letter below is just one example of a positive response to their efforts. It is easy to stand back and be the critic when you are not involved in a situation, especially when it comes sort of natural and they don't want to hear what you have to say anyway. While I do think the EPA, the state, and the city need to reevaluate the LT2 rule with regard to the monitoring that should be required when crypto has already been discovered in a watershed prior to initiation of effective treatment, and that no one can be proud of previous crypto monitoring issues or the PR problems on Wednesday morning, I do think that Mike Kee and his staff have done a good job of thinking the current situation through, while marshaling state and other resources, in their response to the current problem. ('Course some may think their lax oversight may have had a hand in causing it.)<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">July 31, 2013&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Mike,<br /><br />Just looked at the Herald and found the <a href="http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/City-asks-residents-to-reduce-water-use" target="_blank">"City asks residents to reduce water use"</a> article.&nbsp;Earlier today I mentioned to Jeanie that I thought the Goats might be contributors. The only reason I mentioned it was because I hiked from Marble Pass to Elkhorn (Goodrich) Peak a week ago. Goats are spread out along the rim from Marble Pass to Goodrich Res. and beyond. I only saw a polygamous "family" of five near the pass, but the sign, from tracks, to shedding hair, to scat pellets was everywhere, especially along the rim above Goodrich. I recalled the photos of the goats at the reservoir from earlier this year in a newsletter (???) and in any event, during this dry year, one suspects that the bowl around Goodrich and perhaps the waterline itself, is seeing a lot of goat scat deposits due to water seeking behavior.&nbsp; Might be worth checking a few scat samples near the reservoir.<br /><br />I am really, well, almost proud, and certainly grateful, that you and your staff have approached this outbreak in a logical manner, even if it doesn't turn out to be the goats. Everything that I read you are doing is delightfully sensible. The fact that you are looking at relevant factors and following the evidence is very encouraging.<br /><br />Good luck in tracking it all down and trying to keep the water safe.<br /><br /><div><div dir="ltr">Chris<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/christopherchristie/sets/" target="_blank">http://www.flickr.com/photos/<wbr></wbr>christopherchristie/sets/</a><br /><a href="http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_photographers&amp;where-photographer=Christopher+Christie&amp;orderby=taxon" target="_blank">http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/<wbr></wbr>cgi/img_query?query_src=<wbr></wbr>photos_photographers&amp;where-<wbr></wbr>photographer=Christopher+<wbr></wbr>Christie&amp;orderby=taxon</a><br /><a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://bakercountyblog.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com/</a></div></div></blockquote><br />http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/random-thoughts-on-baker-city-crypto.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-7432022152919188979Fri, 02 Aug 2013 06:46:00 +00002013-08-02T11:25:29.623-07:00Baker CityBaker City HeraldBusinesscronyismCryptoCryptosporidiumdemocracyMediaSpecial RelationshipComment on Cryptosporidium Outbreak in Baker City and Follow-up Articles on Bradley Manning ConvictionA comment on the recent Cryptosporidium outbreak in Baker City and&nbsp; a few articles on the importance of Bradley Manning's conviction for "espionage."<br />[Edited 8/2/13]<br />__________<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Crypto Outbreak in Baker City, Oregon</span> </b><br /><br />Yesterday morning around 8:30 AM I received a call from a friend that rumors were flying around where he worked that there was a Cryptosporidium outbreak in Baker City and that people had heard this from reliable sources. I immediately checked the City website and found nothing so I called the City's main telephone number and was told by a woman answering the phone that it was "just a rumor" but that they were checking it out and would have someone call me back when they knew more.&nbsp; Around 9:30-10:00 Am I received a call back from the City telling me that the County Health Department had gotten reports, apparently from doctors, that there were positive cases of disease caused by Cryptosporidium showing up in a few patients. I suggested to her that Oregon Division of Fish and Wildlife introduced Mountain Goats in the vicinity of Goodrich Reservoir in our Baker City watershed might be responsible because I had seen quite a bit of goat scat on a recent hike to Elkhorn Peak just above the reservoir. Given that the goats are known to water at the reservoir it certainly seems possible that their excrement may contain Crypto and that it also may be getting into the reservoir.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gwPmvaYJtiQ/UftKBhKL8RI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/lgCvdPqD1pk/s1600/Goodrich-DSCN3603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gwPmvaYJtiQ/UftKBhKL8RI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/lgCvdPqD1pk/s320/Goodrich-DSCN3603.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Goodrich Reservoir as seen from ridge near Elkhorn Peak<br /><br />At 11:22 AM yesterday, I called the Baker County Health Department and inquired about the number of cases of cryptosporidiosis that had been reported. I was transferred to the message machine of Alicia Hills who was supposed to answer my questions. The <a href="http://www.bakercityherald.com/">Baker City Herald</a>, whose printing deadline is around 9:30 AM, had an <a href="http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/Several-cryptosporidium-cases-reported-in-Baker-City">article</a> on their website at 7:38 AM quoting Mike Kee, Baker City City Manager, who confirmed before that time that there was indeed an outbreak and that there were five confirmed cases. The article appeared in their afternoon edition of the newspaper. The information about the five cases would have been reported to the Baker County Health Department by local doctors or the hospital.<br /><br />While I was in contact with Mike Kee and two other city officials to compliment them on their efforts to contain the outbreak and to suggest they collect goat scat samples at Goodrich, they gave me no information except to say that state epidemiologists would be in town today to get water and goat scat samples from Goodrich reservoir.&nbsp; I asked the City an additional question today, but they have not responded.<br /><br />Questions:<br /><br />Why did the City tell a citizen, me, that it was just a rumor when I called around 8:30 AM when the City had already reported to a local commercial paper that there was indeed an outbreak?<br /><br />Why hasn't Alicia Hills at the County Health Department called me back well over a day later?<br /><br />Why is the news first reported on a for-profit commercial media website instead of on the City or County website?<br /><br />Why is information continuing to show up first on a commercial media website instead of on the <a href="http://www.bakercity.com/">City website</a> supported by the citizens of Baker City?<br /><br />There are several potential true answers, but one that is certainly true is that a business, the Baker City Herald, has a special relationship with the City aristocracy, including Baker City officials. The City takes care of the Baker City Herald, and the Herald takes care of them. You come later. That's why Planning Commissioner and ex-City Manager Tim Collins told those assembled at a recent City Planning Commission meeting that he had no sympathy for anyone who didn't read the paper. They are sort of like embedded reporters who can be counted on to not dig too deep for the whole story in return for continued special access--the access they need to produce revenue. Additionally, if the City gives them special information before the City posts it on their website, then the Herald gets an "exclusive" that will attract hits to their website and keep their revenue producing advertisers happy.&nbsp; All in all it's a great arrangement for the Herald and City officials.<br /><br />To me, it looks like a load of this:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uHfQXshVvoU/UftSimqCS8I/AAAAAAAAB0g/oyaOUlXaQu8/s1600/Goat+scat+1-DSCN4114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uHfQXshVvoU/UftSimqCS8I/AAAAAAAAB0g/oyaOUlXaQu8/s320/Goat+scat+1-DSCN4114.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Goat Scat on Elkhorn Crest, 7/23/13<br /><br /><br />More on the Crypto outbreak later, but for some background, see:<br /><br /><div class="date-header">Monday, November 14, 2011</div><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="2948447646139095317"></a> <br /><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name"><a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/accountability-for-baker-citys.html">Accountability for Baker City's Cryptosporidium Fiasco--is the elephant still in the room?</a></h3><div class="post-header"></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">In This Edition:<br />- Review and Summary of Events<br />- Council responses to my question , i.e.: When were you first informed that Crypto was in the water?<br />- Crypto Time line, from Council reports and etc.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OBhi4tehOqw/UftS3rQ0hnI/AAAAAAAAB0o/izNt1uDPJhY/s1600/Mountain+Goat-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OBhi4tehOqw/UftS3rQ0hnI/AAAAAAAAB0o/izNt1uDPJhY/s320/Mountain+Goat-lg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rocky Mountain Goat on Elkhorn Crest, 7/23/13<br /><br />_________<br /><br /><b>Bradley Manning Conviction </b><br /><br />Kevin Zeese of the <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LmJyYWRsZXltYW5uaW5nLm9yZy8%253D">Bradley Manning Support Network</a> details the threats to investigative journalism and general resistance reporting because of the verdict in the Bradley Manning case:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;"> <span class="style6"><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article35724.htm">Manning Verdict Risks Freedom Of The Press If The People Do Not Act</a></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span class="style6"><b> </b><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>By Kevin B. Zeese </b><br /> <br /> </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">August 01, 2013 "</span><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Information Clearing House</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"> -</span><span class="style6"><span style="font-size: medium;"> T</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">he verdict in the Bradley Manning trial has already begun to create reverberations as people start to understand its impact, beyond the impact on Manning. &nbsp;While the greatest threat to Manning, Aiding the Enemy, was defeated, another threat, The Espionage Act, was not. &nbsp;The <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LmFsZXhhb2JyaWVuLmNvbS92ZXJkaWN0Lmh0bWw%253D"> &nbsp;crimes Manning was convicted </a>&nbsp;of mean he is risking 136 years in prison. &nbsp;For a whistleblower who exposed war crimes and unethical behavior in U.S. foreign policy to be facing a lengthy prison term, while the people exposed by government documents are not even investigated, shows how confused the United States has become.</span></span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">In fact,&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmh1ZmZpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9rZXZpbi16ZWVzZS9icmFkbGV5LW1hbm5pbmctYW5kLXRoZS1yX2JfODA2NzQ5Lmh0bWw%253D"> the crimes Manning exposed&nbsp; </a>were much more serious than the crimes of which he has been convicted. &nbsp;The&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LmNvbGxhdGVyYWxtdXJkZXIuY29tLw=="> “Collateral Murder” video </a>&nbsp;which showed U.S. soldiers slaughtering innocent Iraqis, and two Reuters journalists, with joy and glee is one example of many civilian killings that deserve prosecution. &nbsp;The documents which include the&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkL2lyYXEtd2FyLWxvZ3M_SU5UQ01QPVNSQ0g%253D"> Iraq </a>&nbsp;and&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkL3RoZS13YXItbG9ncz9JTlRDTVA9U1JDSA=="> Afghanistan War Logs </a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkL3RoZS11cy1lbWJhc3N5LWNhYmxlcz9JTlRDTVA9U1JDSA=="> diplomatic cables </a>&nbsp;show:</span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div align="left" class="style1"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">· That U.S. troops&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLzIwMTAvanVsLzI1L2FmZ2hhbmlzdGFuLXdhci1sb2dzLW1pbGl0YXJ5LWxlYWtz"> kill civilians&nbsp; </a>without cause or concern and then&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLzIwMTAvanVsLzI1L2FmZ2hhbmlzdGFuLXRhbGliYW4tbWlzc2lsZS1zdHJpa2UtY2hpbm9vaw=="> cover it up&nbsp; </a>(more examples of hiding civilian killings&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLzIwMTAvanVsLzI3L2FmZ2hhbmlzdGFuLXdhci1sb2dzLXRlbnNpb25zLXN0cmFpbmVkP2ludGNtcD0yMzk%253D"> here </a>,&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLzIwMTAvanVsLzI2L2FmZ2hhbmlzdGFuLXdhci1sb2dzLXVzLW1hcmluZXM_aW50Y21wPTIzOQ=="> here </a>&nbsp;and&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLzIwMTAvb2N0LzIyL2FwYWNoZS1oZWxpY29wdGVycy1raWxsLWlyYXFpLWNpdmlsaWFucz9JTlRDTVA9U1JDSA=="> here </a>), including killing <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLzIwMTAvYXByLzA1L3dpa2lsZWFrcy11cy1hcm15LWlyYXEtYXR0YWNrP0lOVENNUD1TUkNI"> reporters </a>; </span></div><div align="left" class="style1"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">· The CIA is fighting an undeclared and unauthorized&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LnRlbGVncmFwaC5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkbmV3cy9hc2lhLzgyMDQ0MjAvU291dGgtQXNpYS1yZXZpZXctb2YtdGhlLXllYXItMjAxMC5odG1s"> war in Pakistan </a>&nbsp;with&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLzIwMDkvZGVjLzExL2JsYWNrd2F0ZXItaW4tY2lhLXBha2lzdGFuLWJhc2U_SU5UQ01QPVNSQ0g%253D"> Blackwater mercenaries </a>; </span></div><div align="left" class="style1"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">· The&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLzIwMTAvZGVjLzAyL3dpa2lsZWFrcy1jYWJsZXMtaGFtaWQta2FyemFpLWVycmF0aWM_SU5UQ01QPVNSQ0g%253D"> President of Afghanistan </a>&nbsp;is not trustworthy, that Afghanistan is rife with&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLzIwMTAvanVsLzI2L2xlYWtlZC1hZmdoYW5pc3Rhbi1maWxlcy1jb3JydXB0aW9uLWRydWctZGVhbGluZz9pbnRjbXA9MjM5"> corruption and drug dealing </a>; </span></div><div align="left" class="style1"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">· The&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLzIwMTAvanVsLzI1L3Bha2lzdGFuLWlzaS1zdXBwb3J0aW5nLXRhbGliYW4td2FzaGluZ3Rvbj9pbnRjbXA9MjM5"> Pakistan military and intelligence agencies aid Al Qaeda </a> &nbsp;and the Taliban; </span></div><div align="left" class="style1"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">· The&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLzIwMTAvb2N0LzIzL2lyYXEtd2FyLWxvZ3Mtd2lraWxlYWtzP0lOVENNUD1TUkNI"> U.S. looks the other way when governments it puts in power torture </a>; </span></div><div align="left" class="style1"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">· The diplomatic cables also show that beyond the war fronts,&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLzIwMTAvbm92LzI4L3VzLWVtYmFzc3ktY2FibGVzLXNweWluZy11bj9JTlRDTVA9U1JDSA=="> Hillary Clinton has turned State Department Foreign Service officers into a nest of spies </a>&nbsp;who&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLzIwMTAvZGVjLzAyL3dpa2lsZWFrcy1jYWJsZXMtaGlsbGFyeS1jbGludG9uLWJhbj9pbnRjbXA9MjM5"> violate laws to spy on diplomats&nbsp; </a>all with marching&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lmd1YXJkaWFuLmNvLnVrL3dvcmxkLzIwMTAvZGVjLzAyL3dpa2lsZWFrcy1jYWJsZXMtY2lhLXVuaXRlZC1uYXRpb25zP0lOVENNUD1TUkNI"> orders drawn up by the CIA </a>; </span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">· That Israel, with U.S. knowledge, is&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LmFsdGVybmV0Lm9yZy93b3JsZC8xNDkzODcvd2lraWxlYWtzJTNBX2lzcmFlbF9wbGFuc190b3RhbF93YXJfb25fbGViYW5vbixfZ2F6YQ=="> preparing for a widespread war </a>&nbsp;in the Middle East,&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LnRoZWpld2lzaHdlZWsuY29tL25ld3MvaXNyYWVsL3dpa2lsZWFrc19pc3JhZWxfa2VwdF9nYXphX2Vjb25vbXlfYnJpbms%253D"> keeping the Gaza economy at the brink of collapse </a>&nbsp;and show&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3Lm5ld3N0aW1lcy5jb20vbmV3cy9hcnRpY2xlL1dpa2lMZWFrcy1Jc3JhZWwtY2hhcmdlZC1icmliZXMtZm9yLUdhemEtYWNjZXNzLTk0MDY3NC5waHA%253D"> widespread corruption </a>&nbsp;at border checkpoints.</span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">These are some examples among many, and the documents have&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LnRydXRoZGlnLmNvbS9yZXBvcnQvaXRlbS90b3BfMTBfd2F5c19icmFkbGV5X21hbm5pbmdfY2hhbmdlZF90aGVfd29ybGRfMjAxMzA3MzEv"> changed the world in many ways </a>, including helping to spur the Arab Spring, which expanded a global revolt against neoliberal economic policies.</span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div align="left" class="style1"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">These examples show that Bradley Manning was a whistleblower, one of the most important whistleblowers in history. They also show the importance of whistleblowers to a free press and informed public.&nbsp; Shouldn't &nbsp;the American people and the people in countries affected by U.S. policy know these facts? </span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Manning's convictions for espionage are the first time a whistleblower has been convicted under the Espionage Act. &nbsp;This 1917 law passed during the propaganda effort to support World War I was designed to criminalize spying against the United States. For a whistleblower to be turned into a spy is a great risk to the First Amendment. <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LnBvcHVsYXJyZXNpc3RhbmNlLm9yZy9hc3NhbmdlLWpvdXJuYWxpc20taXMtbm93LWVzcGlvbmFnZS8%253D"> &nbsp;Julian Assange described the verdict </a>&nbsp;as “calling journalism 'espionage'” <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LnBvcHVsYXJyZXNpc3RhbmNlLm9yZy9tYW5uaW5nLXZlcmRpY3QtYmxvdy1mb3ItaW52ZXN0aWdhdGl2ZS1qb3VybmFsaXNtLWFuZC1pdHMtc291cmNlcy8%253D"> &nbsp;Reporters Without Borders sees the verdict </a>&nbsp;as a threat to investigative journalists and their sources. The <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LnBvcHVsYXJyZXNpc3RhbmNlLm9yZy9jZW50ZXItZm9yLWNvbnN0aXR1dGlvbi1yaWdodHMtb24tbWFubmluZy12ZXJkaWN0Lw=="> &nbsp;Center for Constitutional Rights writes in reaction </a>&nbsp;to the verdict: “What is the future of journalism in this country? &nbsp;What is the future of the First Amendment?”</span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">This question is even more frightening when the prosecutor's argument on behalf of the government is understood. The prosecutor's position was that merely publishing information that is critical of the United States would violate the law because it would provide enemies of the United States with a tool to build their movement. If that position is ever accepted by the courts, there will be no First Amendment remaining.</span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">And, during the trial the treatment of the media by the military showed their utter disregard for press freedom. In many respects it seemed to be&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LnBvcHVsYXJyZXNpc3RhbmNlLm9yZy9qb3VybmFsaXNtLW9uLXRyaWFsLWJyYWRsZXktbWFubmluZy1jYXNlLW5lYXJzLW1vbWVudC1vZi10cnV0aC8%253D"> journalism itself that was facing court martial </a>. Routine coverage was severely restricted by limiting access to court documents and records, frequent lack of any internet connection, and inadequate physical accommodation for reporters. During the closing argument we saw&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LnBvcHVsYXJyZXNpc3RhbmNlLm9yZy9leHRyZW1lLXNlY3VyaXR5LWFnYWluc3Qtam91cm5hbGlzdHMtYXQtYnJhZGxleS1tYW5uaW5nLXRyaWFsLw=="> outright intimidation with intense security </a>, including <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LnBvcHVsYXJyZXNpc3RhbmNlLm9yZy9hcm1lZC1pbnRpbWlkYXRpb24tb2Ytam91cm5hbGlzdHMtY292ZXJpbmctbWFubmluZy10cmlhbC8%253D"> &nbsp;armed camouflaged troops </a>walking up and down the aisle peering over journalists' shoulders. Reportedly this security was&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LnBvcHVsYXJyZXNpc3RhbmNlLm9yZy9pdC13YXMtbWFubmluZy1qdWRnZS13aG8tb3JkZXJlZC1leHRyZW1lLXByZXNzLXNlY3VyaXR5Lw=="> ordered by Judge Denise Lind </a>.</span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">It's a sad irony that the significance of this trial for the future of press freedom has largely been lost on the mainstream press, who've been missing in action in this trial - as in many other historic developments over the past decade and more.</span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">The key legal basis for turning whistleblowers that expose crime, fraud and abuse; as well as journalists reporting on such information into traitors treated as spies under the Espionage Act, is the removal of a “bad faith” requirement. In <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vbGF3Lmp1c3RpYS5jb20vY2FzZXMvZmVkZXJhbC9hcHBlbGxhdGUtY291cnRzL0YyLzYyOS85MDgvMjY2MzYyLw=="> &nbsp;United States v Truong </a>, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals commented on the notion of bad faith being a requirement for conviction writing that an “honest mistake” was not a violation. However, in the Manning case as well as the prosecution of former CIA agent John Kiriakou, the trial courts found no evidence of bad faith was needed. Academics, journalists, human rights lawyers and others concerned with the First Amendment need to build the case that bad faith is an essential requirement of prosecution under the Espionage Act in order to protect the First Amendment. The Manning appeals may become the vehicle for making this case and changing the law.</span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Judge Denise Lind now begins the sentencing phase of the Manning court martial. &nbsp;This is expected to last two to four weeks. &nbsp;Actual sentencing is expected at the end of August or beginning of September. &nbsp;Even the sentencing phase of this trial is controversial as the government will call <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LmFsZXhhb2JyaWVuLmNvbS9zZWNvbmRzaWdodC93aWtpbGVha3MvYnJhZGxleV9tYW5uaW5nL3VzX3ZfcGZjX21hbm5pbmdfbmFtZXNfYW5kX2luZm9ybWF0aW9uX2Zvcl90aGVfZXhwZWN0ZWRfY2xvc2VkX3Nlc3Npb25fb2ZfY2xhc3NpZmllZF9zdGlwdWxhdGlvbl9kdXJpbmdfc2VudGVuY2luZy5odG1s"> &nbsp;13 witnesses who will testify in executive session </a>&nbsp;and rely on <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LmFsZXhhb2JyaWVuLmNvbS9zZWNvbmRzaWdodC93aWtpbGVha3MvYnJhZGxleV9tYW5uaW5nL3VzX3ZfcGZjX21hbm5pbmdfdGhyZWVfY2xhc3NmaWVkX2RhbWFnZV9hc3Nlc3NtZW50c190b19iZV91c2VkX2luX3NlbnRlbmNpbmdfcGhhc2UuaHRtbA=="> &nbsp;three “damage assessments” </a>&nbsp;that will also not be publicly available (even Manning will not be able to see one, only his lawyer). During the sentencing phase, issues that were excluded in the guilt phase will be relevant, e.g. Manning's intent, the impact of the release of the documents.</span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">People should take heart from history. &nbsp;Throughout U.S history, bad decisions have led to social movements that created transformative change. &nbsp;In 1857 the Supreme Court ruled in the Dred Scott decision that slaves were property without any human rights. The Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves occurred six years later in 1863. &nbsp;Paxton's Case, in the pre-revolutionary period, upheld the right of the British to search homes, businesses and the persons of American colonists based on meaningless general writs. &nbsp;At the end of that trial, a young court reporter, John Adams, wrote “Then and there the child Liberty was born.”</span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">And, Bradley Manning should take heart from the experience of Daniel Ellsberg. &nbsp;Unlike Manning, Ellsberg released top secret documents, Mannings were low level secrets that hundreds of thousands had access to. Ellsberg was also called a traitor and threatened with over 100 years in prison; if not for Nixon administration prosecutorial abuses he may have been convicted. &nbsp;But today, most people recognize Ellsberg is a hero for exposing the fraudulent foundation and purposes of the Vietnam War. &nbsp;Manning is considered a hero by many today and no doubt will be considered a hero by most Americans in the future.</span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Let the legacy of Manning's courage be a rallying cry for all of us. &nbsp;It as an opportunity to push back on the U.S. security state and demand that the First Amendment protecting ourrights to Freedom of Speech, Assembly and to a Free Press, be re-invigorated. &nbsp;It is an opportunity to build a movement against U.S. empire and militarism and a complete re-thinking of U.S. foreign policy. &nbsp;These demands are ones for all Americans to insist upon; and they are for each of us to work for. Success in restoring these Constitutional rights and ending U.S. military interventionism would be a great legacy for the courage of Bradley Manning.</span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div align="left" class="style1"><i> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Kevin Zeese serves as&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LmdyZWVuc2hhZG93Y2FiaW5ldC51cy9tZW1iZXItcHJvZmlsZS83NTMz"> Attorney General in the Green Shadow Cabinet </a>, and is a member of the Steering Committee of the&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LmJyYWRsZXltYW5uaW5nLm9yZy8%253D"> Bradley Manning Support Network </a>&nbsp;and an organizer of&nbsp; <a href="http://3.hidemyass.com/ip-5/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LnBvcHVsYXJyZXNpc3RhbmNlLm9yZy8%253D"> Popular Resistance </a>. </span></i></div></blockquote>__________<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article35712.htm"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">Bradley Manning Lynched by the US Government</span></a><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br /> <b>By Pepe Escobar </b><br /> <br /> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">August 01, 2013 "</span><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Information Clearing House</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"> -</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">&nbsp; The verdict for Manning was predetermined, and the show trial in a kangaroo court – a post-modern American remix of China in the 1960s during the Cultural Revolution – just signed, sealed and delivered it.</span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">The President of the United States (POTUS) had already said he was guilty. US corporate media had been screaming for three years he was guilty. Now the US government – who criminalized Manning with “evil intent” - has shown there will be hell to pay for anyone who dares to reveal American war crimes, which are, by definition, unpunishable.&nbsp; </span></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">As if there was a need of additional evidence of the “bright” future awaiting Edward Snowden – right on top of US Attorney General Eric Holder’s pathetic letter promising Snowden would not be tortured if extradited to the US. &nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">All this as the Angel of History once more threw a bolt of lightning irony; Bradley Manning was pronounced guilty on no less than 19 counts by a Pentagon judge just next door to Spy Central, the NSA headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland.&nbsp; . . . .</span>&nbsp;See link above for rest of article.</blockquote>_________ http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/follow-up-articles-on-bradley-manning.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-3460722296328348248Wed, 31 Jul 2013 06:30:00 +00002013-07-31T09:56:27.269-07:00AssangeBradley ManningcourageEllsbergGreenwaldU.S. foreign policyVerdictwhistle blowersWikiLeaksBradley Manning convicted of "espionage" but not "aiding the enemy."My take on Bradley Manning is that he is the poster man for courageous whistle-blower resistance and an American Hero. There aren't many real heroes anymore in the age of mindless distraction, media distortion, blind obedience, and Orwellian government surveillance.&nbsp; When I told the government to stick it 45 years ago, when they wanted me to kill Vietnamese people ("kill, kill, kill" was drilled into our heads as soldiers) fighting for their own sense of self determination during the Vietnam war, it wasn't as if I didn't realize that they would come after me and imprison me in conditions much worse than the LA County jail--you know what they are going to do--and you hope that you can survive it, and that you will be home within a few years. But Bradley Manning didn't just tell them to stick it, he exposed and brought transparency to the whole imperial, dirty, insane, and criminal U.S. foreign policy enterprise. He did it with the release of videos like <a href="http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/bradley-manning-show-trial.html">"Collateral Murder"</a> showing the senseless American killing of Iraqi civilians, and with his release of thousands of State Department emails that revealed the duplicitous nature of our dealings with other countries. That took the kind of real courage that is sadly lacking in America today. My hat is off to the Bradley Mannings and Edward Snowdens who risk everything--their long-term liberty and potentially their actual lives--to inform the American people about what their government is doing to them and the people of the world.<br /><br />So after three years of abuse in a military prison, confinement called cruel, inhuman and degrading by the UN, Bradley Manning has been convicted of the crime of telling the truth in yet another kangaroo military court dead set on setting an example to others who would have the courage to follow their ethical convictions and resist the developing American fascist state.<br /><br />Here are several articles, statements, an audio, and video, about the conviction of Bradley Manning for reporting the truth to the world concerning the behavior of our military and foreign policy establishment.<br />__________<br /><br /><div align="left"><i style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700;"> <a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article35697.htm"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">The Moral Verdict on Bradley Manning: A Conviction of Love in Action</span></a></i></div><div align="left"><i style="font-style: normal;"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-weight: 700;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">By Norman Solomon</span></span></i></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">July 30, 2013 "</span><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Information Clearing House</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"> - </span></span> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">&nbsp;</span></span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The sun rose with a moral verdict on Bradley Manning well before the military judge could proclaim his guilt. The human verdict would necessarily clash with the proclamation from the judicial bench.</span></span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">In lockstep with administrators of the nation’s war services, judgment day arrived on Tuesday to exact official retribution. After unforgiveable actions, the defendant’s culpability weighed heavy.</span></span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">“Our apologies, good friends, for the fracture of good order, the burning of paper instead of children, the angering of the orderlies in the front parlor of the charnel house,” another defendant, Fr. Daniel Berrigan, wrote about another action that resulted in a federal trial, 45 years earlier, scarcely a dozen miles from the Fort Meade courtroom where Bradley Manning faced prosecution for his own fracture of good order.</span></span></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">“We could not, so help us God, do otherwise,” wrote Berrigan, one of the nine people who, one day in May 1968 while the Vietnam War raged on, removed several hundred files from a U.S. draft board in Catonsville, Maryland, and burned them with napalm in the parking lot. “For we are sick at heart…”</span></span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">On the surface, many differences protrude between those nine draft-files-burning radical Catholics and Bradley Manning. But I wonder. Ten souls saw cruelties of war and could no longer just watch.</span></span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">“I prefer a painful truth over any blissful fantasy,” Manning wrote in an online chat. Minutes later he added: “I think I’ve been traumatized too much by reality, to care about consequences of shattering the fantasy.” And he also wrote: “I want people to see the truth … regardless of who they are … because without information, you cannot make informed decisions as a public.”</span></span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">Those words came seven weeks after the world was able to watch the&nbsp;</span></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rXPrfnU3G0" style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Collateral Murder” video</span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">&nbsp;that Manning had provided to WikiLeaks. And those words came just days before military police arrived to arrest him on May 29, 2010.</span></span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">Since then, huge numbers of people around the world have come to see Bradley Manning as personification of moral courage. During the last several months I’ve read thousands of moving comments&nbsp;</span></span><a href="http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=7612" style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">online at ManningNobel.org</span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">, posted by signers of the petition urging that he receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The comments are often stunning with heartfelt intensity of wounded idealism, anger and hope.</span></span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">No verdict handed down by the military judge can change the moral verdict that has emerged from people all over the world, reciprocating what Bradley Manning expressed online a few days before his arrest: “I can’t separate myself from others.” And: “I feel connected to everybody … like they were distant family.”</span></span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">The problem for the U.S. government was not that Bradley Manning felt that way. The problem came when he acted that way. Caring was one thing. Acting on the caring, with empathy propelling solidarity, was another.</span></span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">Days ago, in closing argument, the prosecutor at Fort Meade thundered: “He was not a whistleblower, he was a traitor.”</span></span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">But a “traitor” to what? To the United States … only if the United States is to be a warfare state, where we “cannot make informed decisions as a public.” Only if we obey orders to separate ourselves from the humanity of others. Only if authoritative, numbing myths are to trump empathy and hide painful truth.</span></span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: italic;"> <span style="font-size: medium;">Norman Solomon is co-founder of RootsAction.org and founding director of the Institute for Public Accuracy. His books include “War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death.”</span></span></div></blockquote>__________<br /><h1 class="yt" id="watch-headline-title"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://scotthorton.org/"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">Scott Horton Radio</span></a><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"> </span></span></h1><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div class="yt" id="watch-headline-title"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"><a href="http://scotthorton.org/2013/07/30/73013-daniel-ellsberg/">7/30/13 Daniel Ellsberg</a><br />Exclusive: the first reaction of Daniel Ellsberg, author of&nbsp;Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers, to Bradley Manning’s acquittal on charges of “aiding the enemy,” but conviction under the espionage act, why journalism is still threatened, Manning’s motives, the positive consequences of his leaks — for instance ending America’s occupation of Iraq once [...]</span> <a href="http://dissentradio.com/radio/13_07_30_ellsberg.mp3">Download </a></span></div></blockquote>__________<br /><br /><a href="http://www.democracynow.org/live/bradley_manning_verdict">&nbsp;Democracy Now! Special Coverage on the Bradley Manning Verdict.</a><br />__________<br /><h1 class="yt" id="watch-headline-title"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExYtX5u4f3w"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning </span><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">&nbsp;</span></span></a></h1><h1 class="yt" id="watch-headline-title"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ExYtX5u4f3w" width="420"></iframe></span><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">&nbsp;</span></span></h1><h1 class="yt" id="watch-headline-title"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">__________</span></span></h1><h1 class="yt" id="watch-headline-title"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"><a href="http://wikileaks.org/Statement-by-Julian-Assange-on.html">Statement by Julian Assange on Verdict in Bradley Manning Court-Martial</a><br />30 July 2013, 19:30 UTC</span></span></h1><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">Today Bradley Manning, a whistleblower, was convicted by a military court at Fort Meade of 19 offences for supplying the press with information, including five counts of ’espionage’. He now faces a maximum sentence of 136 years.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">The ’aiding the enemy’ charge has fallen away. It was only included, it seems, to make calling journalism ’espionage’ seem reasonable. It is not.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">Bradley Manning’s alleged disclosures have exposed war crimes, sparked revolutions, and induced democratic reform. He is the quintessential whistleblower.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">This is the first ever espionage conviction against a whistleblower. It is a dangerous precedent and an example of national security extremism. It is a short sighted judgment that can not be tolerated and must be reversed. It can never be that conveying true information to the public is ’espionage’.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">President Obama has initiated more espionage proceedings against whistleblowers and publishers than all previous presidents combined.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">In 2008 presidential candidate Barack Obama ran on a platform that praised whistleblowing as an act of courage and patriotism. That platform has been comprehensively betrayed. His campaign document described whistleblowers as watchdogs when government abuses its authority. It was removed from the internet last week.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"></span></span><br /><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">Throughout the proceedings there has been a conspicuous absence: the absence of any victim. The prosecution did not present evidence that - or even claim that - a single person came to harm as a result of Bradley Manning’s disclosures. The government never claimed Mr. Manning was working for a foreign power.</span></span></b><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">The only ’victim’ was the US government’s wounded pride, but the abuse of this fine young man was never the way to restore it. Rather, the abuse of Bradley Manning has left the world with a sense of disgust at how low the Obama administration has fallen. It is not a sign of strength, but of weakness.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">The judge has allowed the prosecution to substantially alter the charges after both the defense and the prosecution had rested their cases, permitted the prosecution 141 witnesses and extensive secret testimony. The government kept Bradley Manning in a cage, stripped him naked and isolated him in order to crack him, an act formally condemned by the United Nations Special Rapporteur for torture. This was never a fair trial.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">The Obama administration has been chipping away democratic freedoms in the United States. With today’s verdict, Obama has hacked off much more. The administration is intent on deterring and silencing whistleblowers, intent on weakening freedom of the press.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">The US first amendment states that "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press". What part of ’no’ does Barack Obama fail to comprehend?</span></span></i></blockquote><h1 class="yt" id="watch-headline-title"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">__________</span></span></h1><div class="translateHead"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/07/30/what_does_the_bradley_manning_verdict_mean_for_edward_snowden" title="What Does the Manning Verdict Mean for Edward Snowden?">What Does the Manning Verdict Mean for Edward Snowden?</a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="post_by"> Posted By <a href="http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/blog/737006">Elias Groll</a> </span> <img class="meta_block" src="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/images/091022_meta_block.gif" /> <span class="post_date">Tuesday, July 30, 2013</span></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="post_date"><i>In <a href="http://www.aclu.org/free-speech/aclu-comment-bradley-manning-verdict" target="_blank">a statement</a>, the American Civil Liberties Union described the Manning prosecution as nothing but an exercise in intimidation. "Since he already pleaded guilty to charges of leaking information -- which carry significant punishment -- it seems clear that the government was seeking to intimidate anyone who might consider revealing valuable information in the future," said Ben Wizner, the director of the group's Speech, Privacy and Technology Project. If those activists are looking for confirmation of their fears, they need look no further than a <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/bradley-manning-trial-verdict-94923.html" target="_blank">joint statement</a> from Reps. Mike Rogers and Dutch Ruppersberger, the chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: "There is still much work to be done to reduce the ability of criminals like Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden to harm our national security. The House Intelligence Committee continues to work with the Intelligence Community to improve the security of classified information and to put in place better mechanisms to detect individuals who abuse their access to sensitive information."&nbsp; </i></span></span></blockquote><div class="yt" id="watch-headline-title"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">Click on title above for entire article.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">&nbsp;</span></span></div><div class="yt" id="watch-headline-title"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning">__________&nbsp;</span></span></div><div class="yt" id="watch-headline-title"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Glenn Greenwald OWNS Toobin (CNN) Over Snowden, Manning"><br /></span></span></div>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/30/bradley-manning-wikileaks-judge-verdict"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>Bradley Manning Cleared of 'Aiding the Enemy' but Guilty of Most Other Charges </b></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br /> • Manning convicted of multiple Espionage Act violations<br /> • Acquitted of most serious 'aiding the enemy' charge<br /> • Army private faces maximum jail sentence of 130 years<br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: small;"><b>By Ed Pilkington at Fort Meade </b></span><br /> <br /> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">July 30, 2013 </span><span style="font-size: medium;">"</span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/30/bradley-manning-wikileaks-judge-verdict" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Guardian</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;">" -</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> Bradley Manning, the source of the massive WikiLeaks trove of secret disclosures, faces a possible maximum sentence of more than 130 years in military jail after he was convicted of most charges on which he stood trial.<br /> <br /> Colonel Denise Lind, the military judge presiding over the court martial of the US soldier, delivered her verdict in curt and pointed language. "Guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty," she repeated over and over, as the reality of a prolonged prison sentence for Manning – on top of the three years he has already spent in detention – dawned.<br /> <br /> The one ray of light in an otherwise bleak outcome for Manning was that he was found not guilty of the single most serious charge against him – that he knowingly "aided the enemy", in practice al-Qaida, by disclosing information to the WikiLeaks website that in turn made it accessible to all users including enemy groups. ....See </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"</span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/30/bradley-manning-wikileaks-judge-verdict" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Guardian</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;">"</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">__________</span></span><br /><br />http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/bradley-manning-convicted-of-espionage.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-4062544041911204612Tue, 30 Jul 2013 06:31:00 +00002013-07-30T09:01:09.190-07:00ChurchCivil LibertiesClapperCongressDemocratsFascismFeinsteinintelligenceNational Security StateNSAPatriot Act. SurveillancePelosiPollsSnowden.SpyingWaldenObama's "Liberal" Democrats Reveal Their Fascist TendenciesIn the article below, Glenn Greenwald documents how Obama Democrats, along with many Republicans, swim against the tide of public opposition to the government sponsored NSA Security State. While some Democrats, notably Oregon Senators <span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?q=%22oregon%22+%22senators%22+%22ron+wyden%22&amp;stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAx8HsxKHfq6-gWl2VrwDo9BNOQ9jY-OsTb-zmrpPRT_SZ6g0BACyFYgRKwAAAA"><a class="answer_slist_item_title fl" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=ron+wyden&amp;stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAy8HsxKnfq6-gaG5RYHlGa07kWos9Xwhs1NETHZdvRSqP_8KAKqW2E8qAAAA&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=BlL3UYmkM6qDjALrqIHICQ&amp;ved=0CDMQvBsoBDAA">Ron Wyden</a> and </span><span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?q=%22oregon%22+%22senators%22+%22jeff+merkley%22&amp;stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAAErANT_AHvTx-gAAAAOCAMiCC9tLzA1a2pfQAGbcUTlm5cziK_0zszqJ2ASNaqxkIBbSysrAAAA"><a class="answer_slist_item_title fl" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=jeff+merkley&amp;stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAx8HsxKXfq6-gZFZtplB2omevVGqEuXeJ2b6uN-3PLD1Cyv7TwCsIS7jKwAAAA&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=BlL3UYmkM6qDjALrqIHICQ&amp;ved=0CDAQvBsoATAA">Jeff Merkley</a></span><span class="kno-fv-vq fl" data-vq="/search?q=%22oregon%22+%22senators%22+%22jeff+merkley%22&amp;stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAAErANT_AHvTx-gAAAAOCAMiCC9tLzA1a2pfQAGbcUTlm5cziK_0zszqJ2ASNaqxkIBbSysrAAAA">, as well as </span><a href="http://www.tomudall.senate.gov/%E2%80%8E">Tom Udall,</a> Senator for New Mexico, have opposed the development of the new Total Information Awareness and the full-blown Fascism inherent in NSA activities, others, like Nancy Pelosi and Dianne Feinstein have rallied to defend NSA spying. Republican Congressman Greg Walden also <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll412.xml">voted last week</a> to defeat a House bill that would have restricted the NSA's snooping.<br /><br />Do follow the links in the article for a better understanding. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jul/29/poll-nsa-surveillance-privacy-pew?CMP=twt_gu">Major opinion shifts, in the US and Congress, on NSA surveillance and privacy</a></b></span><br /><div itemprop="name headline "><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jul/29/poll-nsa-surveillance-privacy-pew?CMP=twt_gu">Pew finds that, for the first time since 9/11, Americans are now more worried about civil liberties abuses than terrorism</a></span></b></span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div itemprop="name headline "><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>If I had to pick the most astonishing aspect of this episode so far, it would be that everyone now knows that the Obama administration's top national security official, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, <a href="http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130701/12494623683/james-clapper-admits-he-lied-to-congress-even-his-excuse-is-misleading.shtml"> outright lied to the Senate about NSA programs</a>. And yet - as I said on <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/07/glenn-greenwald-low-level-nsa-analysts-have-powerful-and-invasive-search-tool/">ABC yesterday morning</a> - not only isn't he being prosecuted for that crime - as much of a crime as anything Edward Snowden is accused of doing - but he still has his job. That, of course, is because <a href="http://us.macmillan.com/withlibertyandjusticeforsome/GlennGreenwald"> the "law" does not apply to high-level Washington officials</a> and DC's National Security State is <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/07/27/197823/us-allowed-italian-kidnap-prosecution.html"> an accountability-free zone</a>. But the law that makes Clapper's behavior a felony is clear and concise, and can be read <a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1001"> here</a>.</i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><h1 itemprop="name headline "><span style="font-size: large;">&nbsp;<i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">By Glenn Greenwald <br /> </span></span></i></span></h1><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">July 29, 2013 "<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jul/29/poll-nsa-surveillance-privacy-pew?CMP=twt_gu" style="text-decoration: none;">The Guardian</a>" -</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">&nbsp; Numerous polls taken since our reporting on previously secret <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/nsa" title="More from guardian.co.uk on NSA"> NSA</a> activities first began have <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-10/snowden-seen-as-whistlebloweer-by-majority-in-new-poll.html"> strongly suggested</a> major public opinion shifts in <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/polls-show-americans-still-bugged-nsa-surveillance-revelations-141607421.html"> how NSA surveillance and privacy are viewed</a>. But a <a href="http://www.people-press.org/2013/07/26/few-see-adequate-limits-on-nsa-surveillance-program/"> new comprehensive poll</a> released over the weekend weekend by Pew Research provides the most compelling evidence yet of how stark the shift is.</span> </span></i></span><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Among other things, Pew finds that "a majority of Americans – 56% – say that federal courts fail to provide adequate limits on the telephone and internet data the government is collecting as part of its anti-terrorism efforts." And "an even larger percentage (70%) believes that the government uses this data for purposes other than investigating terrorism." Moreover, "63% think the government is also gathering information about the content of communications." That demonstrates a decisive rejection of the US government's three primary defenses of its secret programs: there is adequate oversight; we're not listening to the content of communication; and the spying is only used to Keep You Safe™.</span></i></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">But the most striking finding is this one:</span></i></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><blockquote class="quoted"><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> "Overall, 47% say their greater concern about government anti-terrorism policies is that they have gone too far in restricting the average person's civil liberties, while 35% say they are more concerned that policies have not gone far enough to protect the country. This is the first time in Pew Research polling that more have expressed concern over civil liberties than protection from terrorism since the question was first asked in 2004."</span></i></span></div></blockquote><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">For anyone who spent the post-9/11 years defending core liberties against assaults relentlessly perpetrated in the name of terrorism, polling data like that is nothing short of shocking. This Pew visual underscores what a radical shift has occurred from these recent NSA disclosures:</span></i></span></div><i> <span class="inline wide"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> <img alt="pew NSA" height="367" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2013/7/29/1375098467920/pew.png" width="350" /> </span></span> </i><br /><div align="left"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps more amazingly still, this shift has infected the US Congress. Following up on <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jul/25/democratic-establishment-nsa"> last week's momentous House vote</a> - in which 55% of Democrats and 45% of Republicans defied the White House and their own leadership to vote for the Amash/Conyers amendment to ban the NSA's bulk phone records collection program - the New York Times has <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/29/us/politics/momentum-builds-against-nsa-surveillance.html?pagewanted=all&amp;_r=0"> an article this morning</a> which it summarizes on its front page this way:</span></span></i></div><i> <span class="inline wide"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> <img alt="nyt nsa" height="301" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2013/7/29/1375094702726/nyt1.png" width="250" /> </span></span> </i><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The article describes how opposition to the NSA, which the paper says was recently confined to the Congressional "fringes", has now "built a momentum that even critics say may be unstoppable, drawing support from Republican and Democratic leaders, attracting moderates in both parties and pulling in some of the most respected voices on national security in the House."</span></i> </span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">It describes how GOP Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner - a prime author of the Patriot Act back in 2001 and a long-time defender of even the most extremist War on Terror policies - has now become a leading critic of NSA overreach. He will have "a bill ready when Congress returned from its August recess that would restrict phone surveillance to only those named as targets of a federal terrorism investigation, make significant changes to the secret court that oversees such programs and give businesses like Microsoft and Google permission to reveal their dealings before that court."</span></i> </span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren is quoted this way: "There is a growing sense that things have really gone a-kilter here". Yesterday on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Democratic Sen Dick Durbin, one of Obama's closest Senate allies, <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/security/2013/07/28/2366691/chambliss-nsa-more-transparent/"> said that</a> the recently revealed NSA bulk record collection program "goes way too far".</span></i> </span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The strategy for the NSA and its Washington defenders for managing these changes is now clear: advocate their own largely meaningless reform to placate this growing sentiment while doing nothing to actually rein in the NSA's power. "Backers of sweeping surveillance powers now say they recognize that changes are likely, and they are taking steps to make sure they maintain control over the extent of any revisions," says the NYT.</span></i> </span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The primary problem enabling out-of-control NSA spying has long been the Intelligence Committees in both houses of Congress. That's an ironic twist given that those were the committees created in the wake of the mid-1970s Church Committee to provide rigorous oversight, as a response to the recognition that Executive Branch's surveillance powers were being radically abused - and would inevitably be abused in the future - without robust transparency and accountability.</span></i> </span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">But with a <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-white-house-should-end-the-bulk-collection-of-americans-phone-records/2013/07/26/c3c0103e-f553-11e2-9434-60440856fadf_story.html"> few rare</a> and <a href="http://ggsidedocs.blogspot.com.br/2013/07/rush-holt-repeal-surveillance-state-act.html"> noble exceptions</a>, the Intelligence Committees in both houses of Congress are filled with precisely those members who are most slavishly beholden to, completely captured by, the intelligence community over which they supposedly serve as watchdogs. Many receive large sums of money from the defense and intelligence industries.</span></i> </span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">There is a clear and powerful correlation between NSA support and amounts of money received by these members from those industries, as <a href="http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/07/money-nsa-vote/"> Wired's Dave Kravets adeptly documented</a> about last week's NSA vote and has been <a href="http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2007/10/dem-pushing-spy/"> documented before with similar NSA-protecting actions from the Intelligence Committee</a>. In particular, the two chairs of those committees - Democrat Dianne Feinstein in the Senate and Republican Mike Rogers in the House - are such absolute loyalists to the NSA and the National Security State generally that it is usually impossible to distinguish their behavior, mindset and comments from those of NSA officials.</span></i> </span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">In sum, the Senate and House Intelligence Committees are the pure embodiment of the worst of Washington: the corrupting influence of money from the very industries they are designed to oversee and the complete capture by the agencies they are supposed to adversarially check. Anything that comes out of the leadership of those two Committees that is labeled "NSA reform" is almost certain to be designed to achieve the opposite effect: to stave off real changes in lieu of illusory tinkering whose real purpose will be to placate rising anger.</span></i> </span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">But that trick seems unlikely to work here. What has made these disclosures different from past NSA scandals - including ones showing <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/fisc-will-not-object-release-2011-court-opinion-confirmed-nsas-illegal-surveillance-1305023"> serious abuse</a> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/us/16nsa.html?pagewanted=all"> of their</a> <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/exclusive-inside-account-us-eavesdropping-americans/storynew?id=5987804"> surveillance powers</a> - are the large numbers of the NSA's own documents that are now and will continue to be available for the public to see, as well the sustained, multi-step nature of these disclosures, which makes this far more difficult for NSA defenders to predict, manage and dismiss away. At least as much as they are shining long-overdue light on these specific NSA domestic programs, the NSA disclosures are changing how Americans (and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/27/germany-nsa-surveillance_n_3663757.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003&amp;ir=World"> people</a> <a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&amp;objectid=10904351"> around</a> the <a href="http://ggsidedocs.blogspot.com.br/2013/07/brazilian-public-reacts-to-nsa-stories.html"> world</a>) think about the mammoth National Security State and whether it can and should be trusted with unchecked powers exercised in the dark. Those public opinion shifts aren't going to disappear as the result of some blatantly empty gestures from Dianne Feinstein and Mike Rogers masquerading as "reform".</span></i> </span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> Despite the substantial public opinion shifts, Pew found that Americans are largely split on whether the NSA data-collection program should continue. The reason for this is remarkable and repugnant though, at this point, utterly unsurprising:</span></i></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><blockquote class="quoted"><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> Nationwide,<i> there is more support for the government's data-collection program among Democrats (57% approve) than among Republicans (44%)</i>, but both parties face significant internal divisions: 36% of Democrats disapprove of the program as do 50% of Republicans.</span></i></span></div></blockquote><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Just as Democrats went from vehement critics of Bush's due-process-free War on Terror policies to <a href="http://www.salon.com/2012/02/08/repulsive_progressive_hypocrisy/"> vocal cheerleaders of Obama's drone kills and even Guantanamo imprisonments</a>, the leading defenders of the NSA specifically and America's Surveillance State generally are now found among self-identified Democrats. That was embodied by how one of the most vocal Democratic NSA critics during the Bush years - Nancy Pelosi - in <a href="http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/07/25/how_nancy_pelosi_saved_the_nsa_surveillance_program"> almost single-handedly saved the NSA</a> from last week's House vote. If someone had said back in 2007 that the greatest support for NSA surveillance would be found among Democrats, many would find the very idea ludicrous. But such is life in the Age of Obama: one of his most enduring legacies is transforming his party from pretend-opponents of the permanent National Security State into its most enthusiastic supporters.</span></i></span> </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">But despite that hackish partisan opportunism, the positive opinion changes toward NSA surveillance and civil liberties can be seen across virtually all partisan and ideological lines:</span></i></span></div><i> <span class="inline wide"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> <img alt="pew NSA" height="323" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2013/7/29/1375098892863/pew1.png" width="380" /> </span></span> </i><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">The largest changes toward demanding civil liberties protections have occurred among liberal Democrats, Tea Party Republicans, independents and liberal/moderate Republicans. Only self-identified "moderate/conservative Democrats" - the Obama base - remains steadfast and steady in defense of NSA surveillance. The least divided, most-pro-NSA caucus in the House for last week's vote was the corporatist Blue Dog Democrat caucus, which overwhelmingly voted to protect the NSA's bulk spying on Americans.</span></i> </span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">As I've repeatedly said, the only ones defending the NSA at this point are the party loyalists and institutional authoritarians in both parties. That's enough for the moment to control Washington outcomes - as epitomized by the unholy trinity that saved the NSA in the House last week: Pelosi, John Bohener and the Obama White House - but it is clearly not enough to stem the rapidly changing tide of public opinion.</span></i></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Other related matters</span></span></i></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">(1) I was on ABC's This Week with Stephanopoulos discussing our newest NSA revelation coming this week about the actual surveillance powers of low-level NSA analysts. That interview <a href="http://www.mediaite.com/tv/greenwald-claims-private-contractors-can-spy-on-calls-emails-i-defy-nsa-officials-to-deny-these-capabilities/"> be seen here</a>.</span></i></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">(2) On Wednesday morning, I'll <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/26/glenn-greenwald-congress-nsa-surveillance-programs_n_3660352.html"> be testifying, by remote video, before an ad hoc committee in the House of Representatives</a> about NSA disclosures. It begins at 9:30 am ET and will, I believe, be broadcast on C-SPAN. Following my testimony will be an excellent panel featuring representatives of the ACLU and the Cato Institute on the dangers and excesses of the NSA.</span></i></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">(3) At an event in Geneva over the week, Noam Chomsky was asked about Edward Snowden and these NSA stories. The transcript of his response is <a href="http://antonyloewenstein.com/2013/07/29/chomsky-praises-snowden-and-condemns-us-hypocrisy/"> here</a>, and the video can be seen <a href="http://mondoweiss.net/2013/07/chomsky-says-snowden-should-be-honored-for-telling-americans-what-the-government-was-doing.html"> here</a> (it begins at roughly 1:21:00). It's definitely worth reading or watching what he has to say.</span></i></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i></span><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">(4) If I had to pick the most astonishing aspect of this episode so far, it would be that everyone now knows that the Obama administration's top national security official, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, <a href="http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130701/12494623683/james-clapper-admits-he-lied-to-congress-even-his-excuse-is-misleading.shtml"> outright lied to the Senate about NSA programs</a>. And yet - as I said on ABC yesterday morning - not only isn't he being prosecuted for that crime - as much of a crime as anything Edward Snowden is accused of doing - but he still has his job. That, of course, is because <a href="http://us.macmillan.com/withlibertyandjusticeforsome/GlennGreenwald"> the "law" does not apply to high-level Washington officials</a> and DC's National Security State is <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/07/27/197823/us-allowed-italian-kidnap-prosecution.html"> an accountability-free zone</a>. But the law that makes Clapper's behavior a felony is clear and concise, and can be read <a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1001"> here</a>.</span></i></span></div></blockquote>_____<br />&nbsp;<a href="http://livestre.am/4yobS">Chomsky--USA, Iran, Israel and the Arab World--Where Are We</a><br /><br /><br /><div style="font-size: 11px; padding-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 425px;">Watch <a href="http://www.livestream.com/?utm_source=lsplayer&amp;utm_medium=embed&amp;utm_campaign=footerlinks" title="live streaming video">live streaming video</a> from <a href="http://www.livestream.com/genevapressclub?utm_source=lsplayer&amp;utm_medium=embed&amp;utm_campaign=footerlinks" title="Watch genevapressclub at livestream.com">genevapressclub</a> at livestream.com</div><br /><h1 itemprop="name headline "><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></h1>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/obamas-liberal-democrats-reveal-their.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-8570171504848275841Tue, 09 Jul 2013 05:09:00 +00002013-07-09T17:10:36.262-07:00accountabilityasylumCivil LibertiescoupdemocracyEgyptEllsbergFISA Courtfourth AmendmentGreenwaldNSAPost OfficesecrecySnowdenSpyingTotal Information Awarenesswhistle blowersSnowden Interview, part 2, Egypt links<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px;"></span><br /><h1 class="yt" id="watch-headline-title" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #222222; font-size: 22px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-wrap: normal;"><span class="watch-title long-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" style="-webkit-user-select: auto; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; cursor: pointer; font-size: 0.9em; letter-spacing: -0.05em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="The Guardian - Interview with Edward Snowden in Hong Kong Part 2"><a href="http://youtu.be/rB9L1PD7Cpo">The Guardian - New Interview with Edward Snowden in Hong Kong--Part 2</a></span></h1><div><br /></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rB9L1PD7Cpo" width="425"></iframe></div><div>_____</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="color: #492f30; font: 12.5px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><a href="http://www.democracynow.org/2013/7/8/glenn_greenwald_rogue_actions_of_us">Glenn Greenwald: "Rogue" Actions of U.S. in Snowden Row</a></b></div><div style="color: #492f30; font: 12.5px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><a href="http://www.democracynow.org/2013/7/8/glenn_greenwald_rogue_actions_of_us">Yield Latin American Offers of Asylum</a></b></div><div style="color: #492f30; font: 12.5px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br /></div></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"><i><span class="caps">GLENN</span>&nbsp;<span class="caps">GREENWALD</span>:&nbsp;I think this is really the critical point that has to be understood. The reason that Edward Snowden came forward, the reason that we’re reporting on this so aggressively, is because—and this is not hyperbole in any way; it’s a purely accurate description—the&nbsp;<span class="caps">NSA</span>&nbsp;is in the process, in total secrecy, with no accountability, of constructing a global, ubiquitous surveillance system that has as its goal the elimination of privacy worldwide, so that there can be no electronic communications—by telephone, Internet, email, chat—that is beyond the reach of the United States government. They are attempting to collect and store and monitor all of it, and that they can invade it at any time they want, no matter who you are or where you are on the planet. This has very profound implications for the kind of world in which we live, for the kind of relationship the United States has to the rest of the world, the way in which individuals feel free to communicate with one another, use the Internet. And that, I think, is why the story is resonating as much as it is.</i></span></blockquote><br /><blockquote><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="caps">AMY</span></span>&nbsp;<span class="caps">GOODMAN</span>:&nbsp;<em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">Times</em>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/07/us/in-secret-court-vastly-broadens-powers-of-nsa.html" style="color: #336699; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">reporting</a>, "In more than a dozen classified rulings, the nation’s surveillance court has created a secret body of law giving the National Security Agency the power to amass vast collections of data on Americans while pursuing not only terrorism suspects, but also people possibly involved in nuclear proliferation, espionage and cyberattacks, officials say." Your response to that revelation this weekend in&nbsp;<em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">The New York Times</em>?<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 30px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="caps">GLENN</span></span></span>&nbsp;<span class="caps">GREENWALD</span>:<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;">&nbsp;Well, it shows what a complete joke the argument has been from&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"><span class="caps">NSA</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;">&nbsp;defenders in the Democratic Party that there is robust oversight on this surveillance. What you actually have is a completely warped and undemocratic institution, this court that meets in complete secrecy, where only the government is allowed to attend. And unlike previously, when it really was confined to just issuing individual warrants about particular targets of terrorism, it is now issuing sweeping, broad opinions defining the contours of our constitutional liberties, of the Fourth Amendment, of the government’s power to spy on us—and it’s all being done in secret. What kind of a country has a court that defines the Constitution in total secrecy and forces us to live under truly secret law in which the government can do all sorts of things to us that we’re not even aware of, that it’s claiming the right to do and being given the power to do it? So I think the&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"><em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">New York Times</em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;">&nbsp;article highlighted what has long been known about the joke called the&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"><span class="caps">FISA</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;">&nbsp;court, but it’s good to see</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"><em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">The New York Times</em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;">&nbsp;doing some reporting on these stories and hopefully bringing some more attention to this.</span>&nbsp;</blockquote>_____<br /><br /><div style="font: 19.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, san-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"></span></b></div><h1 class="pageTitle" itemprop="name" style="color: #3e1f21; direction: ltr; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><a href="http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2013/7/8/glenn_greenwald_edward_snowden_satisfied_by_global_outrage_over_us_surveillance_operations">Glenn Greenwald: Edward Snowden "Satisfied" by Global Outrage over U.S. Surveillance Operations</a></b></h1><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; line-height: 19px;"></span><br /><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="caps">AMY</span></span>&nbsp;<span class="caps">GOODMAN</span>:&nbsp;Did he talk about his preference for where he wants to go?<br /><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="caps">GLENN</span></span>&nbsp;<span class="caps">GREENWALD</span>:&nbsp;He didn’t. I didn’t really speak very much with him about his quest for asylum. I think that he has always been fairly consistent about the fact—and there’s a fantastic&nbsp;<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/daniel-ellsberg-nsa-leaker-snowden-made-the-right-call/2013/07/07/0b46d96c-e5b7-11e2-aef3-339619eab080_story.html" style="color: #336699; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">article</a>, an op-ed by Daniel Ellsberg in&nbsp;<em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">The Washington Post</em>&nbsp;today making the same point—that the crucial objective that Snowden has, just like Ellsberg had, was to make sure that he’s able to participate in the ongoing debate that he triggered. And that means staying out of the custody of the United States government, which will not only put him in prison, but render him incommunicado. And so I think wherever he ends up, as long as it’s somewhere that he can be heard and his voice can be heard, I think he’ll be happy and fine.<br /><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="caps">AMY</span></span>&nbsp;<span class="caps">GOODMAN</span>:&nbsp;What, Glenn, is Edward Snowden most encouraged by as he follows the debates and the continued revelations online?<br /><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="caps">GLENN</span></span>&nbsp;<span class="caps">GREENWALD</span>:&nbsp;The very first conversation I ever had with him, Amy, online, he said that his only fear—he only had one fear, and that was that he would sacrifice his life and take these enormous personal risks in order to make these disclosures possible, and then have the world react with indifference and apathy, a kind of fear that they would just simply say, "OK, well, I assumed this was happening, and I don’t really mind." None of that has happened. There’s been an incredibly intense debate inside the United States over these disclosures, all kinds of movements of reform, movements against the United States government, and in many, many other countries around the world, as we previously discussed. So he feels like what he set out to do is exactly what has happened. He said he didn’t set out to destroy these systems—that’s not his place; he set out to make people around the world realize what the United States’s government is doing to them, to enable them to decide whether that’s the kind of thing they are willing to tolerate. And he sees those debates happening, and he’s extremely enthused and satisfied that his objective has been fulfilled. . . . .</span></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="caps">AMY</span></span>&nbsp;<span class="caps">GOODMAN</span>:&nbsp;And finally, Glenn, it’s not only the revelations that you have put out in&nbsp;<em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">The Guardian</em>&nbsp;and that have come out other places, but they’re sparking even others, I think, to go down this track. The latest&nbsp;<span class="caps">NSA</span>&nbsp;spying issue, another headline today, U.S. Postal Service now under scrutiny for a surveillance program of its own,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/04/us/monitoring-of-snail-mail.html?pagewanted=all&amp;_r=1&amp;&amp;pagewanted=print"><em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">The New York Times</em>&nbsp;revealing the postal service has been carrying out a Mail Isolation Control and Tracking program</a>&nbsp;[link update 7/9/13), which photographs every piece of mail in its system—around 160 billion envelopes, packages, postcards documented last year. The contents never read without a warrant, but they allow investigators to learn key information including names, addresses, return addresses, postmark locations. The information reportedly used to nab the suspect recently accused of mailing ricin-laced letters to Obama and New York Mayor Bloomberg. Leslie James Pickering, the former activist with the Earth Liberation Front who now owns a small bookstore in Buffalo, recently learned his mail was being monitored after a surveillance order was accidentally delivered to his door. Can you respond to this?<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="caps">GLENN</span></span></span>&nbsp;<span class="caps">GREENWALD</span>:<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">&nbsp;There’s a fantastic article by the journalism professor at&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="caps">NYU</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">, Jay Rosen, who has written a&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://pressthink.org/2013/07/the-snowden-effect-definition-and-examples/" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">article</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">&nbsp;entitled "The Snowden Effect." And what he argues is that the revelations about the surveillance state go far beyond the specific revelations enabled by the documents that he disclosed to us, that we’re now disclosing to the world in our reporting, that instead he completely refocused—Snowden did—worldwide global attention on the abuses of the surveillance state. And so, not just that article about the postal service monitoring, but the one you mentioned earlier about the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="caps">FISA</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">&nbsp;court—there’s articles in&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">Le Monde</em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">&nbsp;last week about how the French are mass surveilling their own citizens’ electronic communications. All sorts of revelations coming forward, one in&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">The Washington Post</em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">&nbsp;today about how the Pentagon is engaged in domestic propaganda, monitoring websites for what they consider to be extremist political activity—this tidal wave of revelations that clearly have come from the sea change that has resulted in how we think about surveillance as a result of Mr. Snowden’s whistleblowing and the reporting of ours that it enabled then. And I think that that’s really ultimately going to be the most profound effect. People are thinking differently about how their government spies on them, the nature of government secrecy, whether they want to trust their government, why journalism has failed to uncover these sorts of things, why we needed someone like Mr. Snowden to risk his life and throw away his liberty in order to come forward and bring it to our attention. I think this is all going to have very profound repercussions for a long time to come.</span>&nbsp;</span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; line-height: 19px;">_____<br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><br /><h1 style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: 28px; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://wikileaks.org/Statement-from-Edward-Snowden-in.html">Statement from Edward Snowden in Moscow</a></span></h1><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><br /><h2 style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Monday July 1, 21:40 UTC</span></h2><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">One week ago I left Hong Kong after it became clear that my freedom and safety were under threat for revealing the truth. My continued liberty has been owed to the efforts of friends new and old, family, and others who I have never met and probably never will. I trusted them with my life and they returned that trust with a faith in me for which I will always be thankful.</span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">On Thursday, President Obama declared before the world that he would not permit any diplomatic "wheeling and dealing" over my case. Yet now it is being reported that after promising not to do so, the President ordered his Vice President to pressure the leaders of nations from which I have requested protection to deny my asylum petitions.</span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">This kind of deception from a world leader is not justice, and neither is the extralegal penalty of exile. These are the old, bad tools of political aggression. Their purpose is to frighten, not me, but those who would come after me. [i.e., other whistle blowers]</span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">For decades the United States of America has been one of the strongest defenders of the human right to seek asylum. Sadly, this right, laid out and voted for by the U.S. in Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is now being rejected by the current government of my country. The Obama administration has now adopted the strategy of using citizenship as a weapon. Although I am convicted of nothing, it has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person. Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum.</span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">In the end the Obama administration is not afraid of whistleblowers like me, Bradley Manning or Thomas Drake. We are stateless, imprisoned, or powerless. No, the Obama administration is afraid of you. It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised — and it should be.</span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 20px;"></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I am unbowed in my convictions and impressed at the efforts taken by so many.<br />Edward Joseph Snowden<br />Monday 1st July 2013</span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">_____</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #29303b; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 15px;"></span></span><br /><h2 class="title" style="color: #211104; font: normal normal normal 150%/normal Georgia, 'Times New Roman', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">The Original Fascist Defines Fascism</span></h2><div class="widget-content"><div style="color: #222222; font: normal normal normal 19px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><i></i></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><i></i></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><i>"Fascism should rightly be called Corporatism as it is a merger of state and corporate power":&nbsp;<b>Benito Mussolini</b></i></span></div></div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">__________<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Links on Developing Egyptian Civil War</span></span><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">______</span><br /></span><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><br /><div style="font: 22.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/assets/print?aid=USBRE9610YX20130702">Mursi role at Syria rally seen as tipping point for</a>&nbsp;</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/assets/print?aid=USBRE9610YX20130702">Egypt army</a></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><br /><div style="font: 8.5px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tue, Jul 2 2013</span></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><br /><div style="color: #4781a6; font: 9.5px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b>By </b></span><b>Yasmine Saleh </b><span style="color: black;"><b>and </b></span><b>Tom Perry</b></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><b>CAIRO (Reuters) - Army concern about the way President Mohamed Mursi was governing Egypt reached tipping point when the&nbsp;</b><b>head of state attended a rally packed with hardline fellow Islamists calling for holy war in Syria, military sources said.</b><b>At the June 15 rally, Sunni Muslim clerics used the word "infidels" to denounce both the Shi'ites fighting to protect Syrian President&nbsp;</b><b>Bashar al-Assad and the non-Islamists that oppose Mursi at home.</b><b>Mursi himself called for foreign intervention in Syria against Assad, leading to a veiled rebuke from the army, which issued an&nbsp;</b><b>apparently bland but sharp-edged statement the next day stressing that its only role was guarding Egypt's borders.</b><b>"The armed forces were very alarmed by the Syrian conference at a time the state was going through a major political crisis," said&nbsp;</b><b>one officer, whose comments reflected remarks made privately by other army staff. He was speaking on condition of anonymity&nbsp;</b><b>because he was not permitted to talk to the media.</b><b>The controversy surrounding the Syria conference pointed to a crippling flaw in the Mursi presidency: though the constitution names&nbsp;</b><b>Mursi as supreme commander of the armed forces, the military remains master of its own destiny and a rival source of authority to&nbsp;</b><b>the country's first freely elected head of state.</b><b>The army's dramatic ultimatum demanding Mursi and other politicians settle their differences by Wednesday afternoon caught the&nbsp;</b><b>presidency completely off guard. Triggered by mass protests against Mursi's rule, it amounted to a soft coup by a military that has&nbsp;</b><b>been a major recipient of U.S. aid since the 1970s, when Egypt made peace with neighboring Israel.</b></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">_____<br /> </span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br /><div style="font-size: 28px; font: normal normal normal 28px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/08/egypt-braced-violence-morsi-supporters">Egypt braced for more violence after</a>&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/08/egypt-braced-violence-morsi-supporters">'massacre' of Morsi supporters</a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br /><div style="font-size: 28px; font: normal normal normal 28px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">_____</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br /><div style="font: normal normal normal 28px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br /><div style="font: normal normal normal 21px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article35481.htm">Massacre in Cairo</a></span></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br /><div style="font: normal normal normal 21px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><b>_____</b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br /><div style="font: normal normal normal 21px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><b><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/when-is-a-military-coup-not-a-military-coup-when-it-happens-in-egypt-apparently-8688000.html">When is a Military Coup Not a Military Coup? When it Happens in Egypt, Apparently</a></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span><br /><div style="font-size: 28px; font: normal normal normal 28px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">_____</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br /><div style="font-size: 28px; font: normal normal normal 28px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br /><div style="color: #1d3466; font: 20.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><b><a href="http://www.ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2013/july/07/new-egyptian-war-americans-lose,-again.aspx">Ron Paul--New Egyptian War: Americans Lose, Again</a></b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">_________________</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/snowden-interview-part-2-egypt-links.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-4875969269751123924Sun, 07 Jul 2013 06:06:00 +00002013-07-11T18:44:09.309-07:004th AmendmentCivil Libertiesfourth AmendmentGreenwaldNSAScahillSnowdenSpyingsurveillanceA Video About a Life Worth Living--Glenn Greenwald and Jeremy Scahill on Edward Snowden<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /><div style="font: 24.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">The Socialism 2013 Conference in Chicago (June 27-30, 2013) featured a talk by Glenn Greenwald (via Skype) on Edward Snowden and his recent NSA revelations. The 54 minute video is somewhat surprisingly full of humor and includes Greenwald's report on who Snowden is, and why he ultimately decided to release the information about massive NSA spying and the growing American surveillance state. &nbsp;(While I whole-heartedly agree with the sentiments of Greenwald and Jeremy Scahill, I do not necessarily agree with other speakers at the conference. In particular, I disagree with many of the conclusions of Ian Angus, who does not believe&nbsp;"that 'overpopulation' is a major cause of environmental destruction." Only a fool or the intelligently ignorant could reach such a conclusion. Unfortunately (for the biosphere), there are too many people on the left, seemingly alienated from biology, mathematics, and the natural world, who share his views.)</div><div style="font: 24.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font: 24.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br /></span>If the video below does not play, simply click on the title and it will take you to YouTube. You'll probably want to speed through the initial introduction by a very pumped-up, overly enthusiastic and loud introduction by one Sherry Wolf<span style="font: 16.0px Times;">.</span></div><br /><div style="font: 24.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br /></div><h1 class="yt" id="watch-headline-title" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #222222; font-size: 22px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-wrap: normal;"><span class="watch-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" style="-webkit-user-select: auto; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; cursor: auto; font-size: small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Glenn Greenwald Speaks Out"><a href="http://youtu.be/Uulv4ve6RJ8">Glenn Greenwald Speaks Out</a></span></h1><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Uulv4ve6RJ8" width="425"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>__________</div><div><br /></div><div>See Also:</div><div><br /></div><br /><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/jul/05/oliver-stone-edward-snowden-nsa">Oliver Stone defends Edward Snowden over NSA revelations</a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/jul/05/oliver-stone-edward-snowden-nsa">The outspoken film-maker hails the whistlebower as a 'hero' at Czech film festival and claims that 'the United States has repeatedly violated the fourth amendment'</a></div><br /><div class="stand-first-alone" data-component="Article:standfirst_cta" id="stand-first" itemprop="description" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.333em; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 34px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 460px;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/jul/05/oliver-stone-edward-snowden-nsa"></a></span><br /><div class="stand-first-alone" data-component="Article:standfirst_cta" id="stand-first" itemprop="description" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.333em; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 34px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 460px;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/jul/05/oliver-stone-edward-snowden-nsa"></a></span>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-video-about-life-worth-living-glenn.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048201045566969374.post-3068420118151240502Fri, 05 Jul 2013 04:02:00 +00002013-07-05T10:07:08.332-07:00American RevolutionarmiesDeclaration of IndependenceEdward SnowdenInformation Clearing HousejournalismlibertyMadisonPerpetual warfareprincipleSteven M. WaltTom FeeleyA Note on Snowden and Independence Day from Harvard Professor Steven WaltI'm feeling pretty thoughtless, or at least without a lot of time, on this Independence Day. &nbsp;I read so many posts by people of great intellect, that I sometimes wonder why I bother at all. But lacking that, and time and motivation, I am left to re-post the thoughts of Harvard Professor Steven M. Walt on Edward Snowden, who now sits without sanctuary, on this "Independence Day."<br /><br />Below, Walt reminds us of the Declatation of Independence, one small part of which states:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #463e3e;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.</span></span></blockquote>Can I be bugged, monitored or&nbsp;arrested by the NSA,&nbsp;Homeland Security or the FBI for quoting that?<br /><br />I might also mention that Tom Feeley, who runs <a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/">Information Clearing House</a>, a daily newsletter of "news you won't find in the corporate media," the most important news source I subscribe to, has had a medical incident that landed him in the hospital. His readers are hoping for a quick recovery and a way for him to pay the medical bills in a country that has no government single payer health plan for its people, as most of the western industrialized nations have.<br />_____<br /><br /><a href="http://walt.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/07/03/a_happy_fourth_of_july_for_edward_snowden"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Independence Day Greetings to Edward Snowden</span></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steven M Walt--Wednesday, July 3, 2013</span><br /><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Every year on the Fourth of July I sit down and read the <a href="http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Declaration of Independence</span></a>. It's a habit I got into some years ago, but I take a peculiar pleasure in reading through the founding principles of the American Revolution, archaic language and all. In these days of creeping executive power, supine journalism, and reflexive threat-inflation, it's a valuable reminder that governments exist to serve the people -- and not the other way around.</span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">On this Independence Day, I am wondering what the Founding Fathers would have made of Edward Snowden. The question is obviously a bit absurd, as they could hardly have imagined something like the Internet, or even the telephone, back in 1776. But they would have understood the ability of a government to seize the mail and to investigate and harass those suspected of disloyalty. And they surely would have understood the concept of risking one's future for the sake of one's ideals.</span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">It is of course possible that they would have seen Snowden as some members of Congress do, as a man who betrayed his country by releasing classified information. But isn't it also possible that they would have seen in him a kindred spirit -- someone who took an irrevocable step on a matter of principle? In particular, they might have seen in him a man who recognized the natural tendency of governments to extend their control over citizens, usually in the name of national security.</span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Let us not forget that the Founding Fathers repeatedly warned about the dangers of standing armies, which they rightly understood to be a perennial threat to liberty. Or that James Madison <a href="http://harpers.org/blog/2007/07/madison-on-the-dangers-of-war/"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">famously warned</span></a> that no nation can remain free in a state of perpetual warfare, a sentiment that Barack Obama <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/05/23/remarks-president-national-defense-university"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">recently quoted</span></a> but does not seem to have fully taken to heart. The Founders also gave Americans the <a href="http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Fourth Amendment</span></a> to the <a href="http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">U.S. Constitution</span></a> because they understood that defending individual privacy against the grasp of government authority is an essential human right as well as an important safeguard of freedom.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The United States can no longer protect the country's security with a citizen militia, of course, and a permanent defense establishment has become a necessary evil in the competitive world of contemporary international politics. But the Snowden affair reminds us that large and well-funded government bureaucracies have a powerful tendency to expand, to hide their activities behind walls of secrecy, and to depend on a cowed and co-opted populace to look the other way.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Snowden may have broken the law, but so did the Founding Fathers when they issued that famous declaration 237 years ago. They did so in defiance of a powerful empire, just as Snowden did. The world is better off that they chose to defy the laws of their time, and Snowden's idealistic act may leave us better off too. I suspect Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the rest of those revolutionaries might have understood.</span></blockquote>http://bakercountyblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-note-on-snowden-and-independence-day.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Christopher Christie)0